Serbian Silence Over Crimea Disappoints Ukraine

Olexandr Kirichenko, the chargé d'affaires of the Ukraine embassy in Serbia, told TV Nova that Ukraine is disappointed that Serbia had not taken a clear stance on the Russian annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

“As a state that has always supported Serbia in the preservation of its territorial integrity in the case of Kosovo, we expected a clear attitude,” Kirichenko said on March 27.

However, Kirichenko said that although Serbia had let Ukraine down over Crimea, Kiev would not change its policy towards the former Serbian province.

Along with Serbia, five EU member states, Russia and others, Ukraine does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, which was proclaimed in 2008.

"Ukraine will not change its stance, unlike Russia, which has changed its attitude over Kosovo by using it [to justify Crimea's annexation]," he said.

"Ukraine has no intention of breaking international laws in any way," he added. "On the contrary, we will defend international law with even greater firmness."

Kirichenko was referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s March 18 statement in which he drew an analogy between Kosovo’s secession from Serbia and Crimea’s secession from Ukraine.

The diplomat said Kiev still saw Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence as  "breaking international law - and we will absolutely stand alongside Serbia [on the issue], if, of course, Serbia does not give up Kosovo on its own,” he concluded.