Serbia is moving away from the European Union. He will not send anyone to the EU-Balkans summit
— For the first time in 13 or 14 years, neither I nor anyone else will go to this conference. Nobody will represent the Republic of Serbia, so the Western Balkans will be left without the Republic of Serbia, the president said. He stated that he made this decision so that the government in Belgrade “does not feel any pressure.”
— I know that this decision will be criticized, both in Brussels and from those who always criticize, even if they don't know exactly what. However, I believe that in this way I am protecting the Republic of Serbia and its interests, said Vucic.
He assured that Belgrade will “continue its European path as long as he is president.”
The EU-Western Balkans summit will take place on Wednesday.
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Serbia is one of the few European countries that has not imposed sanctions on Moscow in connection with the invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022. Belgrade repeated that it would not impose sanctions on Russia, even though, as a candidate country, it should gradually adapt its foreign policy to that of the EU, which the EU reminded Serbia several times.
So far, the EU has adopted 19 sanctions packages against Russia. Serbia did not join any of them.
After Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022, Serbia accepted thousands of Ukrainian refugees, repeatedly condemned Russian aggression and sent humanitarian aid to Kiev. Belgrade also supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine – within the borders that include the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The Serbian government also maintains contacts with Russia. In May this year, President Vucic went to Moscow to celebrate the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. For the first time since 2022, he also officially met with the leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Previously, the President of Serbia met several times with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
