Russia wants discussions with Serbia, Austria, Hungary

MOSCOW - Russia is prepared to continue discussions with Serbia, Austria and Hungary on ways out of the situation in the wake of the abandonment of the South Stream project, Vladimir Chizhov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU, told the Rossiya 24 TV channel.

Serbia, of course, is not an EU member today, but it has, as is known, filed an EU membership application - we have all witnessed the EU pressure on Belgrade over political issues - including the issue of joining the anti-Russian sanctions - and, surely, over economic issues as well, Chizhov said late Wednesday.

Chizhov said that he is confident that the Russian side will be prepared to talk to Austria, Hungary and Serbia about what to do next and how to get out of the situation, TASS reported.

I have already said earlier on that the pipeline can go to different directions from the Turkish hub, the Russian diplomat said.

It is still early to say who will lose or benefit from the decision to close the project, Chizhov said.

I think that, first of all, the final assessment should be made once an alternative gas pipeline has been constructed, RIA Novosti quoted Chizhov as saying.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia cannot continue the project because of opposition from the EU.

Photo Tanjug/J. Pap (illustration, archive)