BELGRADE, Serbia — Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. and the West of destabilizing the Balkans with NATO expansionist policies as Serbia prepares a hero’s welcome for the Russian president.
Putin arrives in Serbia today for his fourth visit to the Balkan country since 2001.
A fountain on Belgrade’s main square has been lit in the colors of the Russian and Serbian flags, bookstores in the capital are displaying works about Putin, and a plateau in front of the biggest Orthodox Church in the Balkans is being hastily paved before his planned visit to the temple.
Serbia has maintained close links with traditional Slavic ally Russia even as the country formally seeks European Union membership. Belgrade has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia over Ukraine and has promised it will stay out of NATO.
Despite strong Russian opposition, Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 while Macedonia is trying to settle its name dispute with Greece in order to join the Western military alliance.
Last week, NATO foreign ministers restarted a program that could also lead to Bosnia’s membership. Serbia’s four other neighbors are already members.
