Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, has continued to assert his belief that had Vladimir Putin been in power in Moscow during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the bombings would not have occurred. This conviction, expressed during discussions with Putin in 2019, underscores Vucic’s perception of Putin’s leadership as more protective of Serbia’s interests.
In the documentary ‘Belgrade,’ commemorating the 25th anniversary of the NATO airstrikes, Vucic reaffirmed his stance, suggesting it resonates with many in Serbia who view Putin favorably. He contrasted this with the actions of past Russian leaders, like Boris Yeltsin, who imposed sanctions on Serbia soon after the United States did.
The NATO airstrikes in 1999 targeted Yugoslavia following allegations of excessive force used in suppressing an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo. Lasting 78 days and involving 900 sorties, the bombings resulted in civilian casualties, including children. Serbia maintains that the airstrikes were unauthorized by the UN Security Council.
According to Vucic, NATO capitalized on the absence of a global counterweight to its actions, allowing the bombings to proceed unchecked. However, Putin cautioned against oversimplifying the situation, citing Yugoslavia’s internal conflict as a complicating factor. He emphasized the lack of substantial relations between Russia and Yugoslavia at the time.
Putin condemned the NATO attacks on Yugoslavia as “completely unacceptable,” labeling them a “huge tragedy.” He acknowledged that had Russia held any obligations or relations with Yugoslavia, they would have been fulfilled. Nonetheless, he underscored the absence of such ties between the two countries during that period.
Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, has continued to assert his belief that had Vladimir Putin been in power in Moscow during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the bombings would not have occurred. This conviction, expressed during discussions with Putin in 2019, underscores Vucic’s perception of Putin’s leadership as more protective of Serbia’s interests.
In the documentary ‘Belgrade,’ commemorating the 25th anniversary of the NATO airstrikes, Vucic reaffirmed his stance, suggesting it resonates with many in Serbia who view Putin favorably. He contrasted this with the actions of past Russian leaders, like Boris Yeltsin, who imposed sanctions on Serbia soon after the United States did.
The NATO airstrikes in 1999 targeted Yugoslavia following allegations of excessive force used in suppressing an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo. Lasting 78 days and involving 900 sorties, the bombings resulted in civilian casualties, including children. Serbia maintains that the airstrikes were unauthorized by the UN Security Council.
According to Vucic, NATO capitalized on the absence of a global counterweight to its actions, allowing the bombings to proceed unchecked. However, Putin cautioned against oversimplifying the situation, citing Yugoslavia’s internal conflict as a complicating factor. He emphasized the lack of substantial relations between Russia and Yugoslavia at the time.
Putin condemned the NATO attacks on Yugoslavia as “completely unacceptable,” labeling them a “huge tragedy.” He acknowledged that had Russia held any obligations or relations with Yugoslavia, they would have been fulfilled. Nonetheless, he underscored the absence of such ties between the two countries during that period.
