Putin 'Shares Serbia's Concern' Over Kosovo Army

Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Kosovo's decision to form an army on Thursday, after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who said that Belgrade had received "significant support" from the Russian President on the issue of Kosovo.

"Russia's opinon is known; we agree that a mutually acceptable solution based on UN Resolution 1244 is necessary," Putin said after talking to Vucic.

The Resolution was passed at the end of the 1998-1999 conflict between Serb forces and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority and regulates the mandate of the UN mission there.

Vucic insisted that Serbia was ready for compromise with Kosovo, whose independence Belgrade has refused to recognise since it was declared in 2008.

"We will continue to seek [compromise], but I repeat, and I told this to Putin, we will not let anyone humiliate Serbia," Vucic said.

The two presidents reaffirmed the strong ties between Belgrade and Moscow, citing the large number of bilateral agreements signed during Putin's one-day visit.

The two countries reportedly signed a total of 21 agreements. It was previously announced that the agreements would concern the peaceful use of atomic energy, digital technological development and innovation in the electricity sector, among other topics.

Putin said he expected an agreement to be signed by the end of the year on a creating free-trade zone with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, EAEU, and Serbia.

Before their joint press conference, Putin handed Vucic an award, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, which puts him in the company of a number of world leaders not known for their democratic principles. President Vucic presented Putin with a dog.

During the Russian President's visit, thousands of citizens...

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