Zelenskyy to Visit Serbia for First Time as Vucic Balances EU and Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to make his first official visit to Serbia on Saturday, a country that has maintained close ties with Moscow despite Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The announcement came late Thursday from the office of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, though Zelenskyy's office has yet to officially confirm the trip.

The visit underscores the delicate balancing act Vucic has performed since the war began. Serbia has refused to join international sanctions against Russia, citing deep historical and cultural bonds between the two Slavic nations. At the same time, Belgrade has provided aid to Ukraine and has recently increased high-level contacts with Kyiv, a move analysts see as an effort to improve its standing with Western partners.

Serbia, which is a candidate for European Union membership, relies heavily on Russian energy supplies. Its EU accession process has stalled in part due to its policies toward Moscow. Brussels has warned that Belgrade could lose access to EU funds and see its membership bid further delayed unless it aligns more closely with the bloc's foreign policy positions.

Ahead of the visit, Vucic said he and Zelenskyy would discuss cooperation across various sectors and their respective paths toward EU integration. However, he made clear that Serbia's stance on sanctions would not change. "Serbia has established its policy," Vucic said on Friday, adding that the position "has not changed and this will remain so for the time being."

Djordje Vlajic, a senior editor at the independent Fonet news agency in Belgrade, said both leaders stand to gain politically from the meeting. Zelenskyy, he said, is signaling to Moscow that he is winning over its key allies in the Balkans. Vucic, meanwhile, wants to show Brussels that he shares the EU's concerns about the war, even if he stops short of sanctions.

The two presidents have met several times since the invasion began. Vucic has traveled to Ukraine twice for summits on European support for Kyiv, but on each occasion he declined to sign joint declarations that called for tougher measures against Russia.

Russia has previously accused Serbia of funneling arms to Ukraine through NATO member states, calling it a "stab in the back." Belgrade has also pledged to assist in rebuilding Ukraine once the war ends.

Vucic's government has faced a year of youth-led protests following a train station disaster in November 2024 that killed 16 people, adding to domestic pressure on his administration.