Serbian President Says He Will Not Attend BRICS Summit In Russia, Despite Invite

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says he will not attend a key summit in Russia next month, despite receiving an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vucic told reporters on September 5 that he cannot attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit on October 22-24, because Serbia will "have important guests at that time." Vucic has recently denied having close ties with Putin, saying he hasn't met with the Russian leader since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022. But many other high-ranking officials in Serbia, including Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, have maintained that Russia remains a close Serbian ally. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.