Press review: Western pressure mounts on Serbia as Denmark strengthens drone defenses
Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 1st
MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Hamas may reject Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, Serbia faces Western pressure, and Denmark issues a drone alert. These stories topped Wednesday's headlines across Russia.
Vedomosti: Trump’s Gaza plan welcomed by all but Hamas
European and Middle Eastern leaders praised US President Donald Trump’s efforts and his plan on settling the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the BBC reported. The plan, coordinated by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of 20 living Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas within 72 hours, as well as the transfer of the remains of over 20 hostages believed to be dead in exchange for the release of one hundred detained Gaza residents. This plan had been offered to Hamas, a source in the Palestinian leadership told the BBC.
Undoubtedly, Trump will try to sell his Palestine plan as yet another war he ended on his way to a Nobel Peace Prize, with seven under his belt already, according to his own count, Lev Sokolshchik, a leading researcher at the HSE Center for Comprehensive Economic and Social Studies, told Vedomosti. That said, it is necessary to understand that the US’ influence and its interest in the Middle East are declining, which frees the hands of regional players, such as Israel and Turkey. For the US, Israel’s active policy course in Palestine is problematic, as it damages the Americans’ image, so Trump would have even preferred a tactical truce for everything to "calm down" in the region, the expert noted.
Even if something close to Trump’s proposed agreement is carried out, this will be short-lived and far from comprehensive measures. This is also influenced by Israel’s domestic political factor as right-wing forces which advocate expansionist "big Israel" ideas are strong in Netanyahu’s government. However, it is necessary to understand that the US’ backing for Israel will continue despite all the political drawbacks of such a course, the expert concluded.
Hamas may accept Trump’s plan only as a strategic move, noted Russian International Affairs Council expert Kirill Semyonov. The plan itself is blatantly pro-Israeli, it does not resolve the roots of the Gaza Strip conflict. The most that Trump can expect with this plan is the temporary suspension of the conflict, the expert believes. These steps are unlikely to be taken to their logical conclusion as the suspension of the standoff does not resolve the issue of creating a Palestinian state. The agreement itself cannot settle the Palestinian issue, the expert concluded.
Izvestia: Western countries increase pressure on Serbia
The United Kingdom, Germany and some political figures in Washington are exerting pressure on Serbia, the republic's Ambassador to Moscow, Momcilo Babic, told Izvestia. Belgrade has established good relations with the Trump administration, but the issue of sanctions against the NIS oil company, imposed under Democrat Biden, remains. London and Berlin’s primary goal is to cut Belgrade's ties with Moscow and push it to join the sanctions, analysts say. The internal situation in Serbia remains tense: authorities are bringing their supporters to the streets, and the opposition is preparing for the anniversary of the tragedy in Novi Sad, which triggered the protests.
Germany and the United Kingdom are among the most actively involved European countries in the Balkan region. Germany hosts a large diaspora of immigrants from the Balkans and the republics of former Yugoslavia. Germany, as one of the leading EU states, is keen on advancing integration ideas in the region, Program Manager at the Russian International Affairs Council Milan Lazovic told Izvestia.
"Great Britain is focused on influencing the European continent, particularly in the area of rivalry — the Balkans. Especially in those nations where a favorable stance toward Russia and China is strong. This includes Serbia," the expert noted.
Still, Belgrade will not alter its policy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at a meeting in Beijing with Vladimir Putin on September 2. Serbia will not join the sanctions against Russia and will uphold military neutrality, he stressed.
Meanwhile, domestic processes remain the decisive factor for the evolution of the situation in Serbia. Student and opposition demonstrations continue. Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party have a core electorate, making up at least 20-25% of all voters in Serbia. Therefore, it is certainly incorrect to claim that his support level is close to zero, no matter how much one would like to portray it to the protesters, Yekaterina Entina, director of the Center for Mediterranean Studies at the Higher School of Economics, told Izvestia.
"That said, it should be recognized that the scale of these rallies in support of the government, firstly, is not very high, and secondly, to some extent, is ensured by administrative resources," she pointed out.
Entina believes that the further development of this wave depends on how much political leadership can emerge from within the protesters. The size of these demonstrations is linked to the fact that the Serbian population was expecting new figures to step onto the stage of domestic politics. So far, this has not happened.
"The parliamentary opposition has no new faces. Vucic himself has only a limited reserve bench. The size and strength of these protests will directly hinge on whether it becomes possible to form a pool of student leaders and bring them forward," the political scientist said.
Kommersant: Denmark seeks protection against drones
Denmark will host two major European events in quick succession: on October 1, EU leaders will gather for an informal European Council in Copenhagen, and the next day, a summit of the European Political Community will unite representatives from 47 member states. The Danish authorities are receiving the guests with growing concern as unidentified drones appear over different facilities in the country, which Europe views as a manifestation of a "hybrid war" by Russia. Military reserves have been mobilized to counter the unmanned aerial vehicles. Military experts and equipment from Sweden, France, Germany and the UK have been sent to assist Denmark.
On the eve of the forthcoming European Council session scheduled for this Wednesday and the following summit of the European Political Community, the Danish authorities introduced extraordinary security measures. Over the weekend, it was declared that all civilian drone flights are prohibited in the country’s airspace from Monday to Friday, subject to a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.
From the outset, Russia has been stressing that the accusations of its involvement in the drone incidents were baseless. Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin has called Copenhagen’s arguments about the need to deliver strikes on distant targets "absolute insanity." "Nobody, anywhere and at any time in the world considered the option of threatening a nuclear power. These statements, without doubt, will be taken into account," he added.
Izvestia: Topics discussed at EAEU Council session in Minsk
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will allocate five billion rubles (over $60.5 million) to support shared investment projects: this amount has already been included in the organization's budget, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on September 30. The sides discussed a range of issues related to deeper integration, as well as plans for cooperation with other states. For instance, work on the free trade agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia has reached the final phase. Experts note there is demand for cooperation with the union in other regions as well. In Minsk, the Russian prime minister also met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus is chairing the EAEU bodies in 2025.
"Currently, within the framework of the EAEU, initial assessments of the feasibility of signing a free trade zone agreement with Tunisia are underway. Potentially, such a deal can be reached with Algeria, which is a relatively large economy in North Africa, and it could also become a bridge for broader integration into Africa overall. Egypt may be of interest, despite the economic crisis. In Asia, it could be Malaysia and Pakistan. Malaysia, with more than 30 million people, is a major exporter of electronics and a significant buyer of Russian and Kazakh fertilizers and agricultural goods," says Alexander Korolev, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics.
Belarus is now one of the most energetic participants in the EAEU, Yury Shevtsov, head of the Minsk-based Center for European Integration, told Izvestia.
Relations between Moscow and Minsk have the nature of a strategic partnership and alliance. After the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation, cooperation between the two countries has greatly intensified, and joint work is underway in nearly all areas.
"There are reasons for growth in the trade turnover between Russia and Belarus. Many companies have exited the Russian market, and mainly Russian producers have replaced them, but Belarusian firms have also captured a share of the market. The construction of a second nuclear power plant in Belarus, or two additional units at the existing one, is drawing closer. This will provide a major boost to the turnover," the expert explained.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Russia to invest in gold, diamonds
Over the next three years, Russia plans to acquire precious metals and stones for its sovereign fund to the tune of up to 51.5 billion rubles (over $620 million) annually, according to the 2026-2028 draft federal budget submitted to the State Duma on Monday. Essentially, this is about creating and replenishing the strategic reserve, expanding the capabilities of managing liquidity and strengthening the financial system under the conditions of very possible external shocks.
"The main goal of these purchases is to diversify state assets and enhance financial stability. Precious metals traditionally serve as a ‘defensive asset,’ capable of retaining their value during crises and political risks. Including them in the state reserves reduces the budget’s dependency on the volatile oil and gas income and foreign currency flows. Additionally, this support for internal market demand is beneficial for domestic gold, silver and diamond producers, providing them with guaranteed sales under the conditions of sanction pressure on exports," said Vladimir Chernov, an analyst at Freedom Finance Global.
In the future, this measure may strengthen Russia’s positions as one of the largest players on the global precious metals market, the expert believes.
