A new public opinion survey conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Washington, D.C., shows that a majority of Serbian citizens view Russia as Serbia’s most important international partner.
According to the survey, 43% of respondents said Serbia should maintain its closest relations with Russia, while only 4% opposed such a policy.
China and the European Union ranked jointly in second place, with 39% of respondents supporting stronger ties with each. Opposition to closer relations stood at 5% for China and 4% for the European Union.
The United States ranked last among the major international actors included in the survey. Only 29% of respondents said Serbia should maintain strong relations with the U.S., while 6% considered such ties unimportant.
The findings highlight the continued positive perception of Russia among the Serbian public. For years, Belgrade and Moscow have maintained close political, economic, energy, and cultural ties, with Russia remaining one of Serbia’s key international allies, particularly through its support for Serbia’s position against Kosovo’s independence in international forums.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Serbia has voted at the United Nations in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. However, unlike EU member states and most candidate countries, Belgrade has refused to join European Union sanctions against Russia, arguing that maintaining relations with Moscow serves Serbia’s national interests, including energy security and the Kosovo issue.
At the same time, Serbia continues to declare European Union membership as its strategic objective. Nevertheless, its EU accession process has been repeatedly criticized by Brussels due to Serbia’s failure to align its foreign policy with the EU, particularly regarding sanctions on Russia and compliance with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The survey also examined public attitudes toward EU integration. If a referendum on Serbia’s EU membership were held today, 46% of respondents said they would vote in favor, while 29% said they would vote against. The remaining respondents were either undecided or said they would not participate.
The survey was conducted during May and June using a mixed methodology, with 75% of interviews carried out by telephone and 25% conducted online.
The findings reflect a Serbian public that continues to show significant support for Russia while also demonstrating substantial backing for European Union membership, underscoring Serbia’s ongoing effort to balance its traditional partnership with Moscow and its declared ambition for European integration.
