Scholz Tells Serbia It Must Decide Between Europe and Russia

  • Tense exchange with Vucic shows EU frustration with Belgrade
  • Vucic has maintained balancing act as he aspires to join EU

Olaf Scholz, Germany's chancellor, center, and Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's president, inspect an honor guard at the Presidential Palace in Belgrade, Serbia, on June 10.

Photographer: Oliver Bunic/Bloomberg
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signaled that Serbia should end its balancing act between the European Union and Russia and adopt the bloc’s sanctions if it’s serious about joining the EU.

“It is our expectation that these sanctions must be supported by all those who are candidates for EU membership,” Scholz said in Belgrade on Friday after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.