EU candidate Serbia and Russia sign foreign policy agreement

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — European Union candidate Serbia has signed an agreement with Russia to hold mutual “consultations” on foreign policy matters. Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic signed the agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly. Although the Serbian government says it supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, it has refused to join Western sanctions against its Slavic allies in Moscow. Aligning foreign policies with the EU is one of the main pre-conditions for joining the 27-nation bloc. Officials from Serbia’s pro-Western opposition said the deal signed Friday is a sign President Aleksander Vucic has given up on EU membership and is bringing his country closer into Moscow’s fold.