Ukraine’s Zelensky makes first visit to Russia-friendly Serbia

Ukrainian President Zelensky and populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Saturday agreed to build cooperation despite Belgrade’s long-standing close ties with Moscow. The future path of both countries towards EU membership was also on the agenda at the talks in Belgrade between Zelensky – who was making his first visit to the capital – and Vučić. Military cooperation with Kyiv was not discussed, Vučić stressed at a joint press briefing. He also denied reports that Serbia intended to build drones in collaboration with Ukraine, but said such cooperation is planned with Israel. Representatives from both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in agriculture and food safety, and a free-trade agreement will be drawn up by the end of the year, according to Zelensky. He thanked Serbia for its humanitarian assistance to Ukraine’s medical and energy sectors, which have come under direct attack during the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022. Vučić stressed that his country supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity and thanked Kyiv for doing the same in Serbia’s case, in comments that appeared to be alluding to the former Serbian province of Kosovo, which declared its independence in 2008 following a bloody conflict. Most EU member states recognise Kosovo’s secession, but Serbia and Ukraine do not. Kyiv is looking to avoid setting a precedent that could be used to justify the secession of its eastern resource-rich Donbas region and the Crimean Peninsula. Both are claimed and now largely occupied by Russia. Zelensky arrived on Friday in Serbia, one of the few European countries that have maintained friendly relations with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Vučić is trying to balance Serbia’s traditional ties with Moscow against pressure to align his nation’s foreign policy with the European Union. He has refused to join international sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, citing historic ties between the two Slavic nations. Serbia is in the process of joining the EU, but that has been stalled partly because of Belgrade’s policies towards Moscow. Serbia relies almost entirely on Russia for its energy supplies. Although Belgrade has refused to sanction Russia, it has provided aid to Ukraine and Vučić has recently stepped up contacts with Kyiv, in an apparent bid to boost his image in the West. Russia last year accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine through Nato member states, describing the move as a “stab in the back”. Serbia also has promised to help rebuild Ukraine after the war. Ahead of the visit, Vučić said he and Zelensky would discuss cooperation in various fields and their countries’ paths towards EU membership. Vučić said Serbia does not intend to change its position on Russia sanctions. “As far as sanctions are concerned, let me tell you directly: Serbia has established its policy,” Vučić said on Friday. He added that Serbia’s stand “has not changed and this will remain so for the time being”. Zelensky said in a Telegram post before his visit that “Ukraine is always ready to work constructively, on a mutually beneficial basis and with mutual respect”. Russia has faced international condemnation and sanctions since it launched its invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky is sending a message to Russia that he is taking over its key allies in the Balkans while Vučić wants to send a signal to Brussels that he shares the EU’s position on the war Djordje Vlajic, a senior editor for Serbia’s Fonet news agency Djordje Vlajic, a senior editor at the independent Fonet news agency in Belgrade, believes that both Vučić and Zelensky aim to make political gains from the Belgrade visit. Zelensky “is sending a message to Russia that he is taking over its key allies in the Balkans”, Vlajic said. Vučić, on his part, “wants to keep the link alive with the EU and send a signal to Brussels that he shares their [EU] position about the war”, he added. Serbia has been told it could lose access to EU funds and cannot move ahead with its EU membership bid because of its Moscow ties and general democratic backsliding under Vučić, who has faced a year of youth-led protests following a railway station disaster in 2024 that killed 16 people. Vučić and Zelensky have met on several occasions since the start of the Russian invasion. Vučić travelled to Ukraine twice to attend summits on strengthening European support for Kyiv’s fight against Russian aggression, but each time he refused to sign a joint declaration calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Additional reporting by dpa

Ukraine’s Zelensky makes first visit to Russia-friendly Serbia

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic is seeking to balance relations with Moscow against EU pressure, as his country hopes to join the bloc

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic is seeking to balance relations with Moscow against EU pressure, as his country hopes to join the bloc