Three countries ban Russia’s Lavrov flight to Serbia, visit cancelled: Interfax

Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro closed their airspace to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s aircraft meant to fly him to visit Serbia, leading to the cancellation of the visit, Interfax news agency reported on Sunday.

The Serbian daily Danas cited state officials as saying the three Baltic countries banned Lavrov’s flight to Belgrade for his state visit scheduled for June 6-7.

Danas reported that the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated on Sunday that the situation around the arrival of Lavrov in Belgrade is “extremely complicated” and that President Aleksandar Vucic, is dealing with the logistics of his trip.

Interfax cited a senior Russian foreign ministry source confirming the cancellation of Lavrov’s visit to Serbia.

“Our diplomacy has yet to master teleportation,” the source said.

Serbia has close ties with Russia and has managed to fend off the West’s pressure to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The country did not join western sanctions and Moscow and managed to secure its Russian natural gas supplies while other countries have been cut off for refusing to pay in roubles.