Russian and Serbian pilots have started joint training in the Russian-Serbian BARS (Brotherhood of Aviators of Russia and Serbia) tactical flight drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The recent tensions between Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo show that the authorities on both sides are focused on their immediate political agenda rather than a sustainable solution to a decade-long conflict, Serbian opposition politicians told Sputnik.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic held a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the development of Russian-Serbian relations, as well as regional and international agenda.

NATO fully supports the dialogue between Serbia and the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo and urges all parties to show restraint, the alliance's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Tuesday.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Belgrade soon

Moscow condemns the passive behavior of the international peacekeeping contingent in Kosovo (KFOR), which did not take any action after the provocation of Pristina in the north of the disputed territory as the irresponsible actions of the Kosovo authorities could have led to a new bloodshed and destabilization in the Balkans, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Russia calls for a dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo and will back any solution that Serbia finds acceptable, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday at the UN General Assembly.