The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, made a surprise visit to Russia-friendly Serbia, indicating a warming of relations between the two countries. This visit comes amid the backdrop of the Russian aggression on Ukraine in 2022. Kuleba met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and new Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, both of whom have close ties to Russia, with some pro-Russian ministers in the government who have been under U.S. sanctions. Despite maintaining warm relations with Russia, Serbia has condemned the Russian aggression on Ukraine and reiterated its commitment to respecting international law and the territorial integrity of all UN member states.
Serbia has declared neutrality in the conflict in Ukraine and denies supplying weapons to any of the parties involved. Last year, reports from pro-government Russian media claimed that Serbia had delivered missiles to Ukraine through intermediary countries, an allegation strongly refuted by Serbia. The visit of Kuleba and Zelenska to Serbia, where they toured the capital city with the Serbian first lady, Tamara Vucic, has faced criticism in Moscow. Comments from Russian readers in state-run media described the visit as “shameful,” highlighting the complexities of Serbia’s delicate balancing act between its ties to Russia and its condemnation of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
Following his meeting with Kuleba, Prime Minister Vucevic was set to meet with the Russian ambassador to Belgrade and visit a large storage facility for Russian gas being imported to Serbia. President Vucic, who has informally met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy multiple times, has emphasized maintaining friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine. Despite Serbia’s proclaimed goal of seeking EU membership, under Vucic’s leadership, the country appears to be shifting closer to Russia and China. During a recent visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Belgrade, China and Serbia signed an agreement to strengthen their relationship and work towards a shared future, indicating a growing alliance between the two countries.
While Serbia has refrained from imposing international sanctions against Russia, it has provided humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine, showcasing its attempts to balance its relationships with both countries. President Vucic has long maintained a policy of neutrality, seeking to balance ties between Moscow, Beijing, Brussels, and Washington. However, under his rule, Serbia’s alignment seems to be shifting more towards Russia and China, especially in light of recent agreements signed with China to strengthen their partnership. The visit by Kuleba and Zelenska to Serbia underscores the complexities of the country’s foreign policy, as it navigates its relationships with both Russia and Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict in the region.
