Maria Zakharova accuses NATO of trying to "suffocate" Serbia and take control of the Balkans

The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, accused NATO of trying to expand its influence in the Balkans and to distance Serbia from Russia, using the joint military exercise "Platinum Wolf," held during this period in Serbia, as an argument. The Russian official stated that the North Atlantic Alliance "surrounds Serbia like a boa constrictor," claiming that NATO aims to take control of the region. On the other hand, Serbian authorities say that the exercise serves to strengthen military cooperation and the exchange of experience among the participating states. Serbia maintains its status of military neutrality, but continues to collaborate with both NATO and Russia and China.