Amid heated disputes among the Serbian political elite about sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, Belgrade agreed with the Kremlin in late May to maintain a favourable gas price for the next three years. By extending its gas contract with Serbia for a relatively short period, Moscow is trying to keep Belgrade on a short leash. It is important for the Kremlin to maintain a strategic partnership with the country, which remains a springboard for Russian influence in the Balkans. Meanwhile, as the war drags on, the likelihood of Belgrade joining the Western embargo increases. At the same time, there will be more and more obstacles to the development of Russian-Serbian relations. The disruption of the visit of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Belgrade (June 6−7) due to the decision of Montenegro, Bulgaria and North Macedonia to close the sky only confirmed the limitations of the Kremlin’s tools in the Balkans in wartime.
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