Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Gjurić, claimed on Saturday that President Aleksandar Vučić’s recent visit to Moscow “will not lead to a halt in the European Union integration process, nor to sanctions from official Brussels.”
Speaking to Serbia’s national broadcaster RTS, Gjurić stated that in the coming week, the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, will visit Belgrade. He added that he even expects relations with Brussels to be strengthened, which, according to him, “will not come at the expense of Serbia’s balanced foreign policy.”
“There will be no interruption in European integration and no sanctions – this will become clear soon, and what we can expect is continued development,” said Gjurić.
Vučić arrived in Moscow on Thursday and participated the following day in the Victory Day commemorations marking the end of World War II. He also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Serbia remains a candidate for European Union membership but has faced criticism from Brussels for failing to align its foreign policy with that of the EU, which imposed strict sanctions on Russia following the start of the war in Ukraine, reports Radio Free Europe (REL).
European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, stated during her visit to Belgrade last week that Vučić’s visit to Moscow would make it “much more difficult to help Serbia stay firmly on the European path.”
“May 9, 1945, and May 9, 2025, are two dates with very different meanings. To go to Moscow and celebrate with Putin, or with his army that is killing people in Ukraine, is completely contrary to European values,” Kos said earlier.
Following his meeting with Putin, during which he spoke about increasing trade between Serbia and Russia, Vučić stated that he is prepared to respond to any criticisms that may come from the European Union.
