Serbia has inked a new three-year agreement with Russia to provide Serbians with natural gas, despite European and American sanctions on Russian oil and gas imposed in response to the conflict in Ukraine.

A Kremlin transcript of a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic revealed the agreement.

The Kremlin statement states, "It was agreed, in particular, that Russia will continue to supply natural gas to Serbia without interruption,"

Putin and Vucic also addressed bilateral relations, including efforts to develop trade and economic cooperation that would be mutually beneficial.

According to the Kremlin, the two leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine. Serbia supported the United Nations' condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine but has not supported sanctions on Russia.

The Kremlin stated that Russia and Serbia reiterated their commitment to strengthen their strategic alliance based on the traditionally close links between their respective populations.

Vucic afterward told reporters that he informed Putin on the phone that Serbia wants peace in Ukraine to be established "as soon as possible."

As a result of the global food and energy crisis, Vucic stated in a Facebook post that "a difficult fall and winter is waiting" for Serbians.

"It is important to show a true domestic relationship and care for citizens, so that they know that they can rely on their country," Vucic added.

We need to provide sufficient energy, so we will begin constructing new diesel and crude oil storage facilities in a year and a half.

Long aspired to join the European Union, Serbia first applied in 2009, with ascension discussions commencing in 2014.

Due to persistent tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, which proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008, these negotiations halted. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign nation but instead views it as an autonomous province.

Amid the crisis in Ukraine, Kosovo seeks to join NATO, perceiving Russia as a threat to its security due to Russia's support for Serbia during the Serbia-Kosovo conflict.

According to a poll by Ipsos and reported by the Blic daily in April, the number of Serbs opposed to joining the EU has now surpassed those in favor of membership.

As Spain, Greece, Romania, and Slovakia do not recognize Kosovo as an independent entity, the choice to continue getting energy from Russia could harm Serbia's hopes of eventually joining the European Union (EU) while possibly bolstering Kosovo's slender quest to join NATO.

After filing its application to join NATO, Kosovo would need approval from all 30 members, which would require four nations to recognize it as an independent entity.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden on Friday signed a proclamation suspending duties on steel from Ukraine for one year, but he did not change levies on steel products.