Russia on Wednesday termed "absolute madness" a call from French President Emmanuel Macron for Serbia to join hands against Russia.
Macron had written last month an article in the Serbian newspaper Politika, which was published ahead of his visit to Belgrade.
Speaking at a news conference in Vladivostok, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized the Serbian newspaper for publishing a "Russophobic text."
"We are talking about an obvious nationalist manifestation in the statements of the French President. It's about what the Serbs know from their own history. When NATO builds its policy against one particular nation or nationality. How can this be published?" Zakharova said.
"How can this be published without at least a footnote or a comment?" Zakharova asked. "We've heard a lot of irrational statements from Western leaders, but this is a clear example of absolute madness."
She urged Serbian journalists to remember the shared history between Serbia and Russia and to consider the future implications of aligning with Western powers.
"I don't recall France coming to Serbia's aid, but I do remember how many times Russia has," Zakharova said. "This applies both to the distant past and to modern history."
The spokesperson also highlighted Russia's support for Serbia during critical moments, such as opposing NATO's bombing campaign and refusing to recognize Kosovo's independence.
"Russia has provided enormous economic assistance to Serbia, including through mutually beneficial projects and infrastructure initiatives based on Belgrade's requests," she said.
"And now, their own media publishes calls for a 'march on Russia' and the creation of an anti-Russian front that Serbia is expected to join. I'm all for pluralism of opinions, but there's a line between freedom of speech and outright insult, Nazi chants and fakes," she said.
