Vucic: Ukraine War May Not End Soon, Another Difficult Winter Ahead

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday expressed doubt that the war in Ukraine would end soon, warning of another difficult winter ahead. Speaking at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Belgrade, Vucic said that while everyone, including Serbia, wants the conflict to end as soon as possible, he is not convinced it will.

"As a political veteran, I can tell you that I'm not sure about it, and I'm very much afraid that we'll have another difficult winter," Vucic said. He added that he hopes the war ends tomorrow, but admitted he has no real facts to support that hope and does not see how it might happen.

Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade on Friday for his first official visit to Serbia, a country that has maintained friendly ties with Russia despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The visit comes as Vucic attempts to balance Serbia's traditional relationship with Russia against pressure to align with the European Union.

Serbia has refused to join international sanctions against Russia, citing historic ties between the two Slavic nations. The country also relies heavily on Russian energy supplies. However, Belgrade has provided aid to Ukraine, and Vucic has recently increased contacts with Kyiv, apparently seeking to improve his standing in the West.

Serbia's EU accession process has been stalled, partly due to its policies toward Moscow. During the visit, the two sides signed a memorandum on cooperation, with Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Lytvynenko and Serbian Agriculture Minister Dragan Glamocic representing their governments.