For the first time, the Defence Strategy of the Republic of Serbia includes cooperation with the CSTO, stated the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin.

For the first time, the Serbian Defence Strategy includes cooperation not only with NATO, but also with the Collective Security Treaty Organization. This was announced by the Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin on December 23, during the presentation of the draft Defence Strategy of the Republic of Serbia and the National Security Strategy to the deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. According to the Minister, this is the first time the defence strategy has clearly formulated Belgrade’s military neutrality principles.
“For the first time, apart from our cooperation with NATO through the Partnership for Peace, which we consider the optimal level of our cooperation, excluding membership, this document also speaks of our cooperation with the CSTO,” RIA Novosti quotes the Serbian Minister of Defence.
“For the first time, the official draft of the document, the Strategy, presented to the citizens of Serbia, says that we will cooperate with both East and West, and it is clearly and precisely defined. Let me give you an example: from 2000 to 2012, we, dear citizens, had zero joint activities with Russia, i.e. nothing, and now we have 96,” emphasized the Serbian Defence Minister.
It should be noted that since April 2013, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has been an observer at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.​