Milorad Dodik met Putin in Moscow, the EU reacts strongly

The European Union has criticized the visit of the leader of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, to Moscow and the meeting he held with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

Dodik met Putin in Moscow on May 23 and told him that the Republika Srpska entity continues to be pro-Russian.

The EU said that maintaining ties with Russia today is seen as an action that is contrary to European values ??and strategic aspirations for integration into the European bloc.

"The EU has recalled on several occasions, and recently also by the high representative, Josep Borrell, at the last meeting of foreign ministers, which was held on Monday with the ministers of the Western Balkans, that maintaining close ties with Russia it is contrary to the path to the EU", EU spokesman Peter Stano told REL.

Stano added that the European bloc wants to "count on all candidate countries as reliable partners for common principles, values, security and prosperity".

In December 2022, Bosnia received the status of a candidate country. This country has agreed to impose sanctions on Russia because of the war in Ukraine, but their implementation has been blocked by the Serbian entity, Republika Srpska.