• Serbia has criticised Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, but not condemned its military action in Syria.
• It has not joined the European Union in slapping sanctions on Moscow.
• Officials say Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov was forced to abandon a visit to Serbia after many of his neighbours refused to let his plane pass through their airspace.

Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was forced to abandon a visit to Serbia on Monday after many of the country’s neighbours refused to let his plane pass through their airspace, according to official.

Since the start of Moscow’s military offensive in Ukraine earlier this year, Lavrov had been scheduled to meet with top officials in Belgrade, one of Moscow’s few surviving European friends.

“The countries around Serbia have closed the channel of communication by refusing to authorise the overflight of the plane of Sergei Lavrov, who was headed to Serbia,” Russian news agencies quoted ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

Read more: Russia strikes Kyiv for first time in almost a month

As per the Serbia news agency, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Montenegro have all blocked access to their airspace.

The visit had no choice but to be cancelled, according to a Russian diplomatic source quoted by Interfax.

“Russian diplomacy has not yet learned how to teleport yet,” the person claimed.

President Aleksandar Vucic, his deputy Nikola Selakovic, and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije were all scheduled to meet with Lavrov.

Serbia has criticised Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, but has not condemned Russia’s military action in Syria.

Read more: Russian general was killed in eastern Ukraine says reporter

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