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Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said he is 'very proud' that Belgrade has never been part of what he described as global 'anti-Russian hysteria', in an interview with Russia media on the sidelines of BRICS events in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
Vulin noted that the West tries to position itself as 'a beacon of freedom', but is guilty of double-standards.
"They always said that the most important part of any democracy is freedom of speech, freedom to be informed, freedom that you can choose information," Vulin said. "Only for Russians and sometimes for Serbs there is absolutely no way that you can choose, that you can trust, that you can believe, that you can doubt."
"In the West, you can doubt anything. You can doubt that our planet is not our planet, that we live in a matrix, whatever. Except you cannot doubt that every Russian is not a villain (the assertion that every Russian is a villain). <...> For me, it's absolutely unacceptable. I'm very proud that Serbia never became part of this anti-Russia hysteria and that we are completely free," he continued.
Serbia’s deputy prime minister also claimed that a third World War was 'almost inevitable' as Western countries closed in on a decision to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons by Kiev to strike deep inside Russia.
Valin said this decision would make the Russia-Ukraine conflict 'even more serious' and draw in 'other nations and governments'.
"The response from Russia will probably be strategically quite different. I'm very worried about this. You know, if you seek for peace, try to find peace. But the West does not really want peace. They want Russia to be militarily defeated. And after that, they will tear us apart."
US State Secretary Antony Blinken has been repeatedly questioned about a decision on long-range strikes - including supplying weaponry and lifting restrictions which Ukraine has been calling for - on trips to Kiev and Warsaw this week.
While not confirming any change of policy, he and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have referred to a meeting between US President Joe Biden and UK PM Sir Keir Starmer on Friday. The American president said on Tuesday that Washington was 'working that out now' when asked about any change.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Thursday that "if this decision is taken, it will mean nothing but direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States, European countries in the war in Ukraine" and warned that Moscow would respond to these potential changes with 'appropriate measures' based on the faced threats.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Proud that Serbia never became part of anti-Russian hysteria' - Deputy PM Vulin claims WWIII 'almost inevitable'
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said he is 'very proud' that Belgrade has never been part of what he described as global 'anti-Russian hysteria', in an interview with Russia media on the sidelines of BRICS events in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
Vulin noted that the West tries to position itself as 'a beacon of freedom', but is guilty of double-standards.
"They always said that the most important part of any democracy is freedom of speech, freedom to be informed, freedom that you can choose information," Vulin said. "Only for Russians and sometimes for Serbs there is absolutely no way that you can choose, that you can trust, that you can believe, that you can doubt."
"In the West, you can doubt anything. You can doubt that our planet is not our planet, that we live in a matrix, whatever. Except you cannot doubt that every Russian is not a villain (the assertion that every Russian is a villain). <...> For me, it's absolutely unacceptable. I'm very proud that Serbia never became part of this anti-Russia hysteria and that we are completely free," he continued.
Serbia’s deputy prime minister also claimed that a third World War was 'almost inevitable' as Western countries closed in on a decision to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons by Kiev to strike deep inside Russia.
Valin said this decision would make the Russia-Ukraine conflict 'even more serious' and draw in 'other nations and governments'.
"The response from Russia will probably be strategically quite different. I'm very worried about this. You know, if you seek for peace, try to find peace. But the West does not really want peace. They want Russia to be militarily defeated. And after that, they will tear us apart."
US State Secretary Antony Blinken has been repeatedly questioned about a decision on long-range strikes - including supplying weaponry and lifting restrictions which Ukraine has been calling for - on trips to Kiev and Warsaw this week.
While not confirming any change of policy, he and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have referred to a meeting between US President Joe Biden and UK PM Sir Keir Starmer on Friday. The American president said on Tuesday that Washington was 'working that out now' when asked about any change.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Thursday that "if this decision is taken, it will mean nothing but direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States, European countries in the war in Ukraine" and warned that Moscow would respond to these potential changes with 'appropriate measures' based on the faced threats.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
No access EU media/EU territory. For further info please contact Client Service
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said he is 'very proud' that Belgrade has never been part of what he described as global 'anti-Russian hysteria', in an interview with Russia media on the sidelines of BRICS events in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
Vulin noted that the West tries to position itself as 'a beacon of freedom', but is guilty of double-standards.
"They always said that the most important part of any democracy is freedom of speech, freedom to be informed, freedom that you can choose information," Vulin said. "Only for Russians and sometimes for Serbs there is absolutely no way that you can choose, that you can trust, that you can believe, that you can doubt."
"In the West, you can doubt anything. You can doubt that our planet is not our planet, that we live in a matrix, whatever. Except you cannot doubt that every Russian is not a villain (the assertion that every Russian is a villain). <...> For me, it's absolutely unacceptable. I'm very proud that Serbia never became part of this anti-Russia hysteria and that we are completely free," he continued.
Serbia’s deputy prime minister also claimed that a third World War was 'almost inevitable' as Western countries closed in on a decision to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons by Kiev to strike deep inside Russia.
Valin said this decision would make the Russia-Ukraine conflict 'even more serious' and draw in 'other nations and governments'.
"The response from Russia will probably be strategically quite different. I'm very worried about this. You know, if you seek for peace, try to find peace. But the West does not really want peace. They want Russia to be militarily defeated. And after that, they will tear us apart."
US State Secretary Antony Blinken has been repeatedly questioned about a decision on long-range strikes - including supplying weaponry and lifting restrictions which Ukraine has been calling for - on trips to Kiev and Warsaw this week.
While not confirming any change of policy, he and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have referred to a meeting between US President Joe Biden and UK PM Sir Keir Starmer on Friday. The American president said on Tuesday that Washington was 'working that out now' when asked about any change.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Thursday that "if this decision is taken, it will mean nothing but direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States, European countries in the war in Ukraine" and warned that Moscow would respond to these potential changes with 'appropriate measures' based on the faced threats.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.