EU, US question Serbia’s EU commitment after Russia deal

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC
Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The European Union and the U.S. have questioned Serbia’s commitment to join Europe’s 27-nation bloc after Belgrade signed an agreement with Moscow pledging long-term “consultations” on foreign policy matters amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Serbia’s officials signed the deal last week in New York with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. At the U.N. meeting, most Western delegations shunned Russia’s top diplomat over the country’s bloody invasion of Ukraine. Serbia’s Foreign Ministry has sought to play down the importance of the signed agreement, saying is a “technical” one and relates to bilateral ties and not security issues.