Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hosted former Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik in Moscow on September 9, accusing “Western interference” of being behind what Moscow sees as the “complicated relations” in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Dodik, who was stripped of his mandate as Republika Srpska president after a court upheld a prison sentence and a six-year ban on holding office, has been seeking support from Russia and other allies, Serbia and Hungary. 

As president of Republika Srpska, he had frequently threatened the entity’s secession from Bosnia and repeatedly defied the international community’s high representative, Christian Schmidt,. 

After his removal, Dodik has continued to operate as Republika Srpska’s president. An election to find his replacement has been scheduled, but Republika Srpska MPs have backed plans for a referendum on Dodik’s removal to be held before the vote. 

Speaking at a joint press conference, Lavrov said the international community, and particularly Schmidt, was overstepping its mandate. 

“He has no mandate from the UN Security Council, but nevertheless, on orders from the West, is trying to perform usurping functions,” Lavrov said, according to a Russian foreign ministry statement. He described this as a violation of the 1995 Dayton Accords, which ended the Bosnian war and established the framework for the country’s two entities and three constituent peoples.

Lavrov added that Russia sought strict adherence to the Dayton Accords and would continue supporting Republika Srpska in trade, economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian and educational initiatives. 

“Our strength is that international legal truth is on our side. Another thing is that we cannot silently watch the West trample these universal principles,” he said.

Dodik praised Russia’s support. “Russia correctly assesses the situation, defends international law and the Dayton Agreement,” he said on X (formerly Twitter). Dodik criticised what he called Western attempts to impose “one person, one vote” governance and argued that the Dayton structure must be preserved.

Russia has consistently positioned itself as a supporter of Republika Srpska, raising concerns in the West over Moscow’s influence in the Western Balkans.

However, Dodik admitted in a recent interview with the BBC that Russian President Vladimir Putin had failed to endorse Republika Srpska’s secession from Bosnia.