Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) leader Milorad Pupovac said on Thursday that "the frozen relations between Croatia and Serbia should be let to thaw," notably in the context of new circumstances in the southeast of Europe caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Commenting on Aleksandar Vucic’s victory in presidential elections in Serbia, Pupovac said that it was nothing new but that what was new were “the overall circumstances” in the southeast of Europe, affected by the war in Ukraine and tectonic shifts in Europe and the rest of the world.

“In that context, I think that the political differences and the outstanding issues that exist between Zagreb and Belgrade should not be an obstacle to making a new step forward in cooperation,” Pupovac told reporters.

“The frozen relations should start to thaw. There should be a clear awareness of that both in Belgrade and in Zagreb,” he said.

Asked about statements by Veselin Sljivancanin, former Yugoslav Army colonel convicted for war crimes at Ovcara in the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, made on the Serbian pro-government Happy TV, Pupovac said that he did not watch such interviews.

Sljivancanin said, among other things, that the Russian army is “fighting against Ukrainian Nazis, just as he fought against Croatian Nazis in Vukovar.”

“People who, regardless of where they come from, are failing to see the danger of war in this region, who do not understand the consequences of actions by big powers for peace in Europe and peace in our part of Europe, and who can, in some way, add fuel to the flames, should not be given publicity,” Pupovac said.

“Responsible state and media policies should be careful about that,” he added.