Key facts
- President Volodymyr Zelensky began his first official visit to Serbia on August 7.
- Zelensky aims to discuss expanding economic ties, EU relations, and security issues.
- Serbia has traditionally maintained close ties with Russia and sought a diplomatic balance since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
- Reports suggest Serbia has indirectly supplied arms to Ukraine, a claim denied by President Aleksandar Vučić.
- Vučić did not sign a joint declaration denouncing Russia's aggression at a June 2025 summit in Odesa.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Serbia on August 7 for his first official visit to the country, a nation with historically strong ties to Moscow. During the two-day trip, Zelensky plans to meet with President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut to discuss expanding economic relations, cooperation with the European Union, and security matters.
Zelensky expressed Ukraine's readiness to engage constructively and with mutual respect. The visit carries symbolic weight as Serbia has navigated a delicate diplomatic balance between Russia and the West since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Serbia's reliance on Russian natural gas and past accusations from Russia's SVR regarding arms supplies to Ukraine highlight the complexities of the region.
While President Vučić publicly denied supplying arms to Ukraine in May 2025, reports have suggested indirect involvement. Vučić's participation in a Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Odesa in June 2025, where he notably did not sign a joint declaration condemning Russia's aggression, underscores Serbia's nuanced geopolitical stance.