Aleksandar Vučić has welcomed Maksim Reshetnikov to Belgrade, where the two sides signed a five-year cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening economic ties between Serbia and Russia.
According to reports, the deal deepens Belgrade’s relationship with Moscow at a time when Serbia continues to pursue membership in the European Union.
Critics argue that the move reflects a clear political choice rather than pragmatic diplomacy, raising concerns that Serbia is simultaneously benefiting from EU financial support while strengthening ties with Russia.
Observers note that such actions risk undermining European unity and contradict expectations that candidate countries align with EU values, including democracy, the rule of law, and a common foreign policy.
The development has renewed debate within European circles about whether enlargement policies should tolerate strategic ambiguity or require stricter alignment from aspiring member states.
