The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, held talks in Belgrade with the Italian Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, on strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of defence, the situation in the Middle East and current crisis hotspots, as well as the role of Serbia and Italy in the new international circumstances.
Aleksandar Vučić described the meeting with Crosetto as excellent, stating that they had reviewed the main aspects of the increasingly complex global security context.
“We paid special attention to the current crisis hotspots and their consequences for the stability of Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as the broader international order. I reiterated that contemporary security threats are unpredictable, with a high risk of conflicts spilling over, as clearly demonstrated by the ongoing conflict across the Middle East,” Vučić stated in a post on Instagram.
Minister Crosetto inaugurated the exhibition “Beyond the Sea, Salvation” During his official visit to Serbia, Minister Guido Crosetto, together with his Serbian counterpart Bratislav Gašić, inaugurated the historical-photographic exhibition “Beyond the Sea, Salvation. A Testimony to Italian-Serbian Friendship”, marking the 110th anniversary of one of the most significant – and perhaps still little-known – episodes of the Great War. Between the end of 1915 and the beginning of 1916, Italy – through its Navy – organised a vast naval bridge across the Adriatic to rescue the Serbian army and civilian population fleeing the offensive of the Central Powers, contributing to the evacuation of more than 260,000 people, both civilians and military personnel. This intervention is now regarded as one of the first major military operations of a humanitarian nature at the international level. 
Subsequently, Minister Crosetto, together with Minister Gašić, laid a wreath in honour of the Italian fallen at the Italian Military Cemetery in Belgrade, and another in honour of the fallen Serbs at the Memorial Ossuary Monument to the “Defenders of Belgrade” of the First World War.
He expressed concern about further developments in the Middle East, as well as in the Western Balkans where, as he pointed out, new military alliances have recently emerged that do not contribute to preserving stability and general security and that unnecessarily raise tensions.
“I stressed that any destabilisation of both regions has direct consequences for European security, energy stability and global trade flows. I repeated that dialogue is the only path to a lasting solution and that additional efforts must be invested in easing tensions,” Vučić said.
He added that they also discussed the need for better coordination and exchange of information among partners in order to mitigate the consequences of regional conflicts.
President Vučić received as a gift from Minister Crosetto a jersey of the Italian national football team bearing his surname.
Vučić emphasised that Serbia remains committed to a policy of peace and military neutrality, as well as to open cooperation with partners such as Italy.
“I am convinced that through more intensive political and defence dialogue we will further strengthen our relations and jointly contribute to the stability of the region at a time of major global challenges,” President Vučić underlined.
Vučić with the King of Bahrain: Serbia strongly supports easing tensions in the Middle East
Aleksandar Vučić held a telephone conversation with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain regarding the serious security situation that arose after Bahrain was struck in missile attacks, and stressed that Serbia strongly supports the easing of tensions, restraint and the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic means.
In a post on the Instagram account budućnostsrbijeav, Vučić stated that he had expressed deep concern over the escalation of conflict in the region and emphasised that preserving peace and stability is of crucial importance not only for the Middle East, but also for global security. “During the conversation, I expressed solidarity with the people of Bahrain and conveyed Serbia’s readiness, in accordance with international law, to contribute to efforts aimed at de-escalation and stability,” Vučić stressed.
(RTS, 03.03.2026)
https://www.rts.rs/lat/vesti/politika/5898172/vucic-kroset-sastanak-srbija-italija.html