Zelenskyy Makes First-Ever Visit to Serbia for Talks with Vučić

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X that he has arrived in Serbia together with his team, marking his first visit to the country.

Belgrade had earlier confirmed that this would be Zelenskyy's first visit to Serbia both since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and during his entire presidency. The trip had reportedly been under discussion for some time before being confirmed.

Talks planned

According to Zelenskyy, important talks are scheduled for today and tomorrow with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut. The agenda includes expanding economic ties between Ukraine and Serbia, relations with the European Union, other areas of mutual benefit, and security issues. Zelenskyy said Ukraine remains ready for constructive cooperation based on mutual benefit and respect.

Background

In July, Vučić traveled to Kyiv along with other regional leaders for the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit. At the time, he said he was not entirely satisfied with the level of assistance Serbia had provided to Ukraine, yet he again refused to sign the summit's joint declaration calling for continued political, military, financial and security support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia.

In recent months, Serbia has also been visited by Taras Kachka, who was then Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, as well as Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.