Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had formal discussions with representatives of the Serbian Government on the opening of a Wagner Group branch in Belgrade, Serbia in December 2022.

We regularly discuss the implications and impact of Russia's activity in the Western Balkans region and beyond with Serbian Ministers and officials, including during my [Minister for Europe] recent visit to Serbia, and when the Foreign Secretary met his Serbian counterpart last month. We will always oppose Russian attempts to destabilise the region. We are aware of unconfirmed reports that the Wagner Group has opened a branch in Belgrade and that some Serbian nationals have connections with that organisation.