The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is able to provide large-scale economic advantages and benefits to Serbia, and Moscow expects the mutual benefits of working with Belgrade in a free trade area will become visible very soon, Yuri Pilipson, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Fourth European Department, told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th November, 2019) The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is able to provide large-scale economic advantages and benefits to Serbia, and Moscow expects the mutual benefits of working with Belgrade in a free trade area will become visible very soon, Yuri Pilipson, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Fourth European Department, told Sputnik.
In late October, Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brnabic visited Moscow and signed the free trade area agreement with the EAEU. The move has provoked criticism among EU member states.
According to Pilipson, Brussels traditionally requires non-EU countries to make a choice between relations with the European Union, and close cooperation with Russia and the Eurasian formats.
"We do not agree with such logic," Pilipson said.
According to the diplomat, nothing prevents countries like Serbia from developing cooperation with all interested parties, including the EAEU or Russia, before joining the EU.
"The EAEU is able to provide Serbia with large-scale economic advantages and benefits in this regard. We hope that the mutual benefits of our joint work in the free trade regime will become visible very soon," Pilipson said.
The EAEU was established in 2014 by Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to create a single market and facilitate economic relations between the member countries.
