The State Secretary of Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nevena Jovanović, responded today to the comments made by Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a statement filled with contradictions and questionable claims about Serbia’s “independent” foreign policy.
Jovanović asserted that Serbia is a “sovereign and independent country” that makes decisions “exclusively in accordance with national interests,” expressing “surprise” at Zakharova’s criticism of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vučić. However, her defense of Vučić raised more doubts than confidence especially given Belgrade’s increasingly unbalanced positioning between Moscow and Brussels.
In her remarks, Jovanović claimed that Serbia does not supply weapons or military equipment to any party in conflict, insisting that it “strictly adheres to international regulations and UN rules.” Yet, multiple international reports and investigations have previously pointed to the presence of Serbian-made ammunition in Ukraine, as well as in other conflict zones—a fact that Belgrade has repeatedly attempted to deny or downplay.
She further praised Vučić for allegedly ensuring that “not a single bullet produced in Serbia ends up in conflict-affected areas,” a statement that appears disconnected from on-the-ground evidence and exposes the government’s efforts to control the narrative rather than confront uncomfortable truths.
In a tone of self-congratulation, Jovanović reminded Moscow that Serbia remains the only European country that has not imposed sanctions on Russia, as if this selective loyalty could absolve Belgrade from the contradictions of trying to maintain ties with both East and West.
She also complained that Serbia has not opened any new chapters in its EU accession process since December 2021—hinting at unfair treatment from Brussels—while conveniently omitting the fact that democratic backsliding, corruption, and media suppression under Vučić’s regime have severely strained relations with the European Union.
Jovanović accused Zakharova of using rhetoric “that does not reflect the spirit of friendship,” but her own statement seemed crafted more for domestic political consumption than diplomatic dialogue.
Once again, Serbia’s Foreign Ministry has shown that it prefers defensive posturing over transparency, and political loyalty over accountability—a stance that only deepens the perception that Vučić’s “sovereign policy” is less about independence and more about survival amid growing international scrutiny.
