BELGRADE (Reuters), – Serbia has declared that it respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, considers Russia’s military actions against Ukraine “wrong”, but won’t impose sanctions on Moscow.

Vucic is leading Serbia as a delicate balance act between NATO’s European ambitions and Serbia’s centuries-old political, religious and ethnic alliance with Russia.

However, tensions over Ukraine between Russia, the European Union and Serbia are increasing. Serbia must align its foreign policies with those of the EU. It also needs to introduce sanctions on Moscow.

Vucic, after speaking at a National Security Council meeting, stated: “They (Russian) were not the only country that imposed sanctions against our in the 1990s.”

They also supported the United Nations’ territorial integrity. “We must not forget this,” Vucic stated, in reference to Russia’s position on Serbia’s ex-province of Kosovo, which Moscow denies independence.

Vucic stated that the National Security Council had concluded that the Republic of Serbia considered “very wrong” the violation of the territorial integrity of several countries, including Ukraine.

Serbia gave Russia its gas and oil sector.

A majority stake in the Balkan country’s oil company was sold to Gazprom (MCX : Neft) in 2008. Gazprom owns the majority of the country’s gas storage facilities.

Russia blocked Serbia’s old province Kosovo membership in the United Nations.

Serbia was forced to surrender control of Kosovo in 1999 after NATO launched a bombing campaign against Serbian forces. This mission was meant to stop ethnic Albanians being killed by Serb forces.

Vucic claimed that Serbia has stopped all drills with foreign soldiers to protect military neutrality.

He stated that Serbia would take legal action against citizens fighting abroad.