The states that are seeking to join the European Union should join the anti-Russian sanctions, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a joint news conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade on Friday.
“It is clear and obvious - whoever joins [the EU] accepts all the rules. And whoever wants now to be a member country should observe the sanctions regime,” Chancellor Scholz said.
Olaf Scholz said that his country supported Serbia on its path to the European Union, declining, however, to give the concrete timeframe for Serbia’s accession.
"The implication is that we support Serbia in its EU accession process. My aim is to help Serbia in this, and not in the distant future, but as soon as possible. It won't happen in six months, everyone knows that, but the process will continue," Scholz told the news conference.
Vučić, in his turn, reminded that Serbia condemned Russia's special operation in Ukraine, but did not think that the sanctions against Moscow would be effective.
“Do not forget that we have centuries-old relations with the Russian side,” said the President. He added that Serbia will make significant progress in the dialogue with Pristina and join the EU in December this year.
Albania, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro are now the official candidates for EU membership. Ankara has been negotiating on this issue since 2005. Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova may be candidates for EU membership in the near future.
