Serbia's Vucic to resign presidency Sept. 25-26 to run for prime minister

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced he will resign from his presidential post on September 25 or 26, according to the Serbian Beta News Agency. Vucic intends to focus on his campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections, for which he has been nominated as the prime ministerial candidate by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The snap elections are scheduled for October 25, following Vucic's dissolution of parliament earlier in the week. Vucic, a populist leader known for his traditionally close ties to Moscow, has been in power in Serbia for 12 years. His planned resignation comes amid a reported rapprochement between Serbia and Ukraine, which included a meeting between Vucic and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in August. Ukraine has also allegedly been receiving Serbian ammunition through third-party purchases, a development that has drawn public criticism from Russia.