Russian Premier and former President Vladimir Putin, seen by some as a modern-day Czar, recently visited several Balkan countries. He was there to secure better economic relation, but also to secure stronger political relations with a major partner, Serbia. Unofficial statements between Putin and Serbian officials show the Russian leader expressing his strong opposition to potential enlargement of the NATO pact on Serbia and Balkans.

Change Of Strategies

These two countries have been political allies for many centuries. Russia was and still is Serbia’s strongest patron on the international political scene. That's especially true in the UN’s Security Council, where Russia was able to stop many resolutions during the Balkan wars. Today, Russia supports Serbia’s European aspirations and clearly states they don’t have anything against possible membership in European Union. But the NATO pact is something different.

“NATO expansion is absolutely against the interests of Russia," Putin said in Belgrade. "If Serbia joined NATO and opted for the missile shield against Russia, we would have to react. We would have to change...More >>