An armed conflict in the middle of Europe was averted over the weekend, says Sergei Zheleznyak, international secretary of the ruling United Russia party.

He said peace was preserved on Saturday "only thanks to the peacefulness and the strong nerves exhibited by Serbia's leadership and Aleksandar Vucic personally."

The Russian parliamentarian thus commented on Saturday's incident when a train traveling from Belgrade to Kosovska Mitrovica had to be turned back due to the threat from Kosovo Albanians.

According to Zheleznyak, the incident "confirms that provocations are being prepared to confront the changes that will take place in the policy of the U.S. and NATO after the inauguration of Donald Trump."

"Now, when the team of the newly-elected U.S. president has not yet been formed and is not in power, it is important to vigilantly monitor and cut off those activities that undermine the processes aimed at solving the conflicts in the Balkans," he told Russia Beyond the Headlines.

Zheleznyak believes that the EU, which on April 19, 2013 took on the responsibility for the cooperation of Serbia with Kosovo Albanians, must now urgently undertake all necessary measures in order to secure the freedom of movement and the protection of rights, honor and dignity of the Serbs who live in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

"The statements of Kosovo Albanians about depictions of frescoes from Serbian Orthodox holy places in Kosovo, that decorated the train, being 'nationalistic and provocative' sound blasphemous and demonic," Zheleznyak said.

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