Last month, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed a deal with Mr Putin to allow Russian gas to continue to flow to Serbia
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was forced to cancel a planned trip to Serbia after three of its neighbours refused access to their airspace following the war in Ukraine.
Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro all refused to allow Mr Lavrov’s plane to use their airspace, according to Serbian media.
Mr Lavrov had been due to visit the Serbian capital, Belgrade, on June 6.
A Kremlin source confirmed the news to Russia’s Interfax news agency, adding: “Our diplomacy has yet to master teleportation”.
Mr Lavrov is among a string of Kremlin officials to be sanctioned by the west over the invasion of Ukraine. But Serbia, which has close cultural ties to Moscow, has refused to take sides during the conflict.
Last month, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed a deal with Mr Putin to allow Russian gas to continue to flow to Serbia as other European countries diversified their energy imports.
Moscow has previously supported Belgrade at the UN security council, blocking Kosovo’s independence.
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