“Serbia will not take part in any military exercises or activities with NATO, Russia, the United States, China or the European Union (EU) in the next six months,” the Serbian Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The decision came after Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said Serbia was under “terrible and unfair pressure” of the EU. “We are not asked to participate in planned military exercises with Belarus to avoid losing our position in the EU,” Vulin said.

Serbia, the EU candidate country, was due to take part in the 'Slavic Brotherhood 2020' exercise with Russian and Belarusian troops this month (September 2020).

Belgrade backed an EU statement last month accusing Belarus's presidential elections of not being “fair” and “free.”