The firm handshake between Aleksandar Vučić and Volodymyr Zelensky, a large number of cameras, the war against Russia and European integration at the centre of attention – history was made as the Ukrainian president visited Belgrade for the first time, in a country that has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Moscow.

Cooperation in the energy and trade sectors was among the main topics discussed, according to the two leaders. “We did not discuss any kind of military cooperation today, and what will happen when the war ends is another matter,” Vučić said at a press conference. However, at the end of his address to the media, he also touched on the security sector. “We will open a drone factory here in September, but with the Israelis. The Ukrainians have been very successful and have many of their own drone factories,” the Serbian president added.

Zelensky thanked Belgrade for its support for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. “We discussed bilateral cooperation and issues that could strengthen our infrastructure, economy and security,” Zelensky said.

Although a candidate for European Union (EU) membership, Serbia is the only European country, alongside Belarus, that has not imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Brussels frequently criticises Serbia over its relations with Moscow, calling on Belgrade to “align itself with the EU’s foreign policy”.

Belgrade has also faced criticism from the Kremlin over the export of weapons and ammunition which, according to Moscow intelligence services, ended up in the hands of the Ukrainian military.

Balancing between the two sides, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić attended the “Southeast Europe – Ukraine” summit in July, although he did not sign the joint declaration calling for increased pressure on Russia in all forms. Before that, Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk had visited Belgrade. Stefanchuk’s visit and statements prompted strong reactions from Russia, whose embassy has now declined to answer the BBC’s questions about the Ukrainian president’s arrival.

Ahead of the meeting at the Palace of Serbia, the surrounding part of New Belgrade was rather deserted, while on the way there, BBC reporters spotted, alongside a large number of police officers, several billboards displaying the flags of Ukraine and Serbia.

The previous day, Zelensky had been welcomed at the airport, contrary to usual protocol, by Dubravka Đedović Handanović, the minister of energy, rather than by President Aleksandar Vučić, who later hosted a dinner in his honour.

What did Vučić and Zelensky say?

Ukraine is a friendly country and Serbia will continue to support its territorial integrity, Vučić told reporters after the meeting. “We will continue to pursue such a principled policy, and there is no ‘but’ when it comes to this issue. It is exactly as I have just said – very precisely, clearly and decisively,” Vučić said. Speaking about the European Union accession process, the Serbian president said that Ukraine would have Belgrade’s full support and assistance. “You have never heard Volodymyr Zelensky say a single bad word about our country, and I am extremely grateful to our Ukrainian friends for that. I believe that in the period ahead – in mining and energy, and especially in agriculture – we can achieve significant results,” Vučić said. Vučić stressed that trade between the two countries had increased significantly, reaching around $450 million last year and approximately $321 million in the first six months of this year alone.

President Zelensky said that Kyiv appreciates any support provided by other countries. “We are grateful that Serbia will provide Ukraine with a new humanitarian aid package in the areas of healthcare and energy. This is of extraordinary importance,” Zelensky said. He said work was under way on a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Serbia and that the negotiations were progressing. These negotiations are a condition for accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). “It would be really good to prepare everything by the end of this year so that we can conclude a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Serbia,” Zelensky said. Speaking about the European path of both Serbia and Ukraine, Zelensky said he wanted every nation in Europe to receive a stronger signal from the European Union that it is needed. Zelensky also thanked Serbia for its welcome to the Ukrainian people and said that Ukraine wants a “dignified peace”, adding that every opportunity should be used to achieve peace and guarantee security.

Who benefited from Zelensky’s visit to Belgrade?

The first visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Belgrade was not simply an ordinary bilateral visit by a head of state. It was a visit from which both Zelensky and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić can derive certain benefits.

For Zelensky, it was a symbolic diplomatic victory, given that Serbia had until now been one of the few European countries that had not imposed sanctions on Russia and had maintained friendly relations with Moscow throughout the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president has reason to be satisfied after his visit to pro-Russian Belgrade, as he has irked Putin and, with the backing of the US and EU countries, encouraged the process of removing or reducing Russian influence in Serbia.

For Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, the visit represented a symbolic signal to Brussels and Washington that Belgrade is gradually distancing itself from Moscow, from which it can no longer directly gain anything new and concrete. Such a message is particularly important for Vučić ahead of parliamentary elections, which are expected to be held within the next three months at the latest, amid the referendum-like atmosphere that has developed in the country. A more favourable attitude from the EU’s staunchly anti-Russian member states towards opening Cluster 3 would serve him well as election propaganda, although he has shown a degree of scepticism about Serbia’s path towards the EU, while wishing Ukraine success in opening all the clusters.

However, the impression is that, in his foreign-policy balancing act, Vučić has not given up Moscow’s full favour either. In this context, perhaps one should also view the fact that he did not personally welcome his Ukrainian guest at the airport, as he normally does, but instead sent Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović to greet him.

There were also no strong statements condemning Russia and Putin over the war and crimes committed on Ukrainian territory, even when Zelensky was speaking about the latest victims of Russian attacks in Ukraine. Vučić nevertheless reiterated several times that he supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

During Zelensky’s stay in Belgrade, both presidents spoke of each other with considerable respect, but it would appear that they remained at a distance, presenting a different picture from Zelensky’s visits to most Western capitals.

(BBC, Danas 08.08.2026)
https://www.bbc.com/serbian/articles/c3w0znlgxdno/lat
https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/ko-je-profitirao-od-posete-zelenskog-beogradu/