Zelenskyy will visit Serbia for the first time and meet with Vučić
On August 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make his first official visit to Serbia. In Belgrade, he will meet with President Aleksandar Vučić—the two leaders plan to discuss Serbia’s path to the EU, the economy, and energy. At the same time, Vučić stated that Zelenskyy’s visit does not signal a change in Serbia’s position on sanctions against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will arrive in Serbia on August 8. In Belgrade, he will meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. This will be Zelenskyy’s first official visit to Serbia since the start of his presidential term.
The upcoming meeting was announced by the Office of the President of Serbia, as well as by the Serbian public broadcaster RTS. Zelenskyy and Vučić have met before. However, their previous talks took place during international forums and summits in other countries. This time, the Ukrainian president will travel to Belgrade specifically for an official visit.
What Zelenskyy and Vučić Will Discuss
According to Vučić, the parties plan to discuss several important issues during the talks. Among them are the European integration of Ukraine and Serbia, economic ties between the two countries, and cooperation in the energy sector.
Vucic stated that he wants to discuss with the Ukrainian president how Kyiv and Belgrade can help each other on the path to the European Union. “I believe we will discuss how and in what ways we can help each other on this issue (European integration—ed.), and, if possible, learn something from one another,” Vucic said.
According to him, other topics may also be raised during the meeting. “This includes our cooperation in the fields of culture, sports, and everything else,” added the Serbian president. Thus, the talks may extend far beyond the issues of European integration and the economy. The parties will also have the opportunity to discuss relations between Ukraine and Serbia in general.
Will Serbia Change Its Position on Sanctions Against Russia
Vucic was asked separately whether Zelenskyy’s visit might mean that Serbia is ready to join the sanctions against Russia. The Serbian president stated that his country’s position on this issue remains unchanged. “Serbia defined its position four and a half years ago—almost five years ago—and it has not changed over the past period and will remain the same in the near future,” Vučić said.
In other words, Belgrade is not currently signaling any willingness to change its approach to sanctions policy toward Russia. Zelenskyy’s visit, however, will be an important diplomatic event for both countries. Ukraine and Serbia hold different positions on certain issues of international policy, but Kyiv is interested in developing bilateral relations with Belgrade. The main topic of the talks on August 8 is expected to be cooperation between the two countries and their European course. This was reported in a statement from the Office of the President of Serbia, as relayed by RTS.
Serbia has reached an agreement with the Russian company Gazprom to extend natural gas supplies for another three months—until the end of September. This refers to additional volumes of energy resources that the country will receive under existing agreements. The decision allows Belgrade to temporarily maintain stable energy supply conditions.
