Selaković talks with the new Ambassador of Ukraine
After welcoming Ambassador Tolkach and wishing him a successful tenure, Minister Selaković emphasised that Serbia highly valued the development of the overall relations with Ukraine, which had traditionally been close and friendly.
Minister Selaković stressed that it was in Serbia’s interest to cooperate with Ukraine on all matters of common interest, which included improvement and renewal of political dialogue, and establishment of a more efficient cooperation in strengthening trade and economic relations, when the circumstances made it possible.
He noted that Ambassador Tolkach was starting his tenure at a difficult time for Ukraine, expressing his regret over the situation there. He emphasised that Serbia wished that peace would come to Ukraine as soon as possible, and that refugees and internally displaced persons could return to their homes, while Serbia and Ukraine continued to develop their bilateral cooperation.
Minister Selaković once again stated that Serbia was committed to the principle of peaceful solution of conflicts, and therefore supported all efforts to make negotiations happen. He also expressed Serbia’s readiness to provide every kind of humanitarian aid to the population in peril and participate in the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities and towns. He highlighted that Serbia had provided the best possible conditions for civilian refugees from Ukraine, including the rights to residence permits and work permits in accordance with the rules of European Union Member States, and beyond what those rules offered.
Minister Selaković stressed that Serbia was committed to the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries, as one of the fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter, and that it therefore respected the territorial integrity of Ukraine. He added that Serbia was facing an unjust attitude of a part of the world as regards the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo, and thanked Ukraine for respecting the territorial integrity of Serbia.
