German FM Baerbock warns against pro-Russian stance in Serbia

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday to take the side of democracy in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Baerbock met Vucic in Belgrade having earlier visited Kosovo. Vucic has maintained good relations with Russia but Serbia did vote to condemn the invasion at an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"At stake in Ukraine is nothing less than our common European values of peace, freedom, democracy and prosperity," Baerbock told reporters.

"Those who share these values cannot stand on the sidelines now."

Serbia's aspirations to join the European Union include "the willingness to share the EU's common foreign policy," she added.

Vucic has indicated he does not want to follow EU sanctions against Russia despite Serbia conducting accession negotiations with the EU since 2014.

Baerbock earlier visited the divided city of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia, along with old ally Russia, does not recognize it as a nation state.

Even though there are no physical barriers any more between the different areas of Mitrovica, mostly Kosovo-Serbian inhabitants live in the north of the city and Kosovo-Albanian inhabitants in the southern part.

The administration, security structure and social services in the north still operate outside the Kosovo state structure.

Baerbock, Germany's top diplomat, also inaugurated a nearby wind farm that was built with German support during her visit.