Serbia: For Sale?

Serbia asked Russia for 1 billion euro ($1.4 billion) worth of financial assistance. The loan is intended to assuage Serbia's economic woes, but the request came only two weeks after an outreach visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. While it is highly unlikely that Serbia is going to fall within the Russian sphere of influence under its current leadership, it is clear that Belgrade believes that playing both sides has its benefits and is a sound strategy.