MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia on Monday after several of its neighbors prevented his plane from passing through their airspace, officials said.
Lavrov had been due to hold talks with top officials in Belgrade, one of Moscow’s few remaining allies in Europe since the launch of its military offensive in Ukraine earlier this year. “The countries around Serbia have closed the channel of communication by refusing to authorize the overflight of the plane of Sergei Lavrov who was headed to Serbia,” Russian news agencies quoted ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.
“The Russian delegation should have arrived in Belgrade for talks. But the EU and NATO member countries closed their airspace.” Serbian daily Vecernje Novosti reported that Bulgaria, Macedonia and Montenegro had refused access to their airspace. A Russian diplomatic source told news agency Interfax there had been no choice but to cancel the visit. – Agencies
Russia’s Lavrov cancels Serbia trip after countries close airspace
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