Skopje, 7 March 2025 (MIA) – The direction of the Macedonian foreign policy is clear – strategic partnership with the United States, NATO membership and remaining on the path to the unfulfilled strategic goal, full-fledged EU membership, Foreign Ministry’s sources say.

As regards the abstained vote on the Ukraine resolutions in the UN, they say the country managed to maintain a position that is both principled and in the frameworks of the three priorities of the national foreign policy – NATO membership, alignment with the joint foreign and security policy of the EU and the country’s formal strategic partnership with the United States.  

Before a decision was made, they say, serious consultations and numerous analyses had taken place, which changed nothing in terms of the country’s alignment with the EU’s joint foreign and security policy. They add the vote was in favor of a principled policy agreed by the co-sponsors, meaning that in the event of the resolution being changed, the country would vote in abstention in view of the resolution.

Regarding the frequent visits to the United States, sources say that government officials paid frequent trips to the US in order to enhance bilateral relations, adding they took place also due to the fact that the country hasn’t been able to start negotiations with the EU and the role of the new administration in this process.

Foreign Ministry sources, which insist on remaining anonymous, say they are confident that all challenges facing the transatlantic partnership will be overcome and we will take a stance in line with our interest and the key unfulfilled political goal, which is being worked on actively recently, is full-fledged EU membership, i.e. opening of the negotiations with the EU. The dialogue has never been suspended, they insist.

The same sources add the country at this point isn’t ready to send troops to Ukraine and being a NATO member, we mustn’t allow any kind of security vacuum from a regional point of view. Our focus in the coming period has to be on our region and on the eastern and southern flank of NATO, they say.

The ministry sources reiterate the national position that Russia had waged a war of aggression against Ukraine, noting that they believe a time has come for diplomacy and peace and any initiative aimed at securing peace will be supported in principle.

MIA file photo