Vucic feels "highest degree of support" from Putin

Vucic feels "highest degree of support" from Putin

"If I may say - and I've met with him many times - today in his words I felt probably the highest degree of support, as well as in (his) reactions, because I know him well," the president said, adding that he asked Putin "what his advice was."

According to Vucic, this tone of Putin is something that "cannot be described with words - you must know how he speaks."

Besides, the Serbian president said that his Russian counterpart condemned in the strongest terms the assault on Marko Djuric, the storming into northern Kosovo and the beating of Serbs.

"The Russians will undertake certain measures on this issue in various institutions," said Vucic, adding that he "thinks we will have every kind of support from Russia."

"We agreed to keep in constant touch, and I also spoke with (Belarus President) Lukashenko," he revealed.

Speaking about the events in Kosovska Mitrovica on Monday when Djuric was arrested, he said that "somebody role-played as the (Kosovo) police," while the police are not the ones "who burst in with long guns."

Asked whether he was satisfied with the way the West has reacted, the Serbian president replied, "Of course I'm not."

"I was waiting for someone to tell me that we should be the ones apologizing - like when we adhered to the Constitution and said Kosovo is Serbia, and sent the train (to Kosovska Mitrovica). They were terribly angry with us that time, so we were apologizing for half a year," said Vucic.

He also commented on media reports that he was considering sending the Serbian Army to Kosovo after the events that unfolded in Kosovska Mitrovica on Monday.

"I see nothing contentious there, it goes without saying that I consider that, but I did not make that decision. If I did, that's something that could not be kept secret. And was I considering it? Of course I was. Every time you face a situation like that you must consider that, too. Still, I chose peace, and I always will unless it comes to us having no other choice," said Vucic.

According to announcements earlier in the day, Vucic and Putin were to discuss the situation in Kosovo in wake of this week's incidents.

Earlier in the day, Vucic discussed the same topic with US Ambassador in Belgrade Kyle Scott.

On Monday, shortly after the arrest of Serbian official Marko Djuric in Kosovo, media reports said that Vucic had immediately called Putin, but the Serbian president neither confirmed nor denied this information.