Zelensky visits Serbia for first time as president, pledges free trade deal with Vucic despite Belgrade's Kremlin ties

First presidential visit to Belgrade

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky completed a two-day visit to Belgrade on Saturday, 8 August, his first trip to Serbia since taking office in 2019. His wife Olena had visited Belgrade in 2024. The visit came amid intensifying Russian strikes on Ukraine, with overnight attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region killing at least four people, including a three-year-old boy. In Puchiwka in the Kyiv region, a grandfather, grandmother, and their three-year-old grandson died in a drone attack; the boy's parents, his 15-year-old brother, and a neighbor were hospitalized. Another person was killed in an attack with six ballistic missiles on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. The previous Wednesday, at least 17 people had been killed in overnight Russian attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region, with Ukrainian air defense unable to intercept any of the Russian missiles used due to a shortage of interceptor rockets.

Economic cooperation and free trade

Vucic and Zelensky pledged to finalise a long-stalled free trade agreement by the end of 2026. The deal has been under discussion for more than two decades, with Ukraine blocking it since 2005 over disputes on quotas and tariffs affecting its agricultural sector. The agreement is crucial for Serbia's bid to join the World Trade Organization and a prerequisite for its EU membership. Vucic called the agreement of the highest importance for Serbia and pledged to work hard to complete it. Representatives of both countries signed a declaration of intent on cooperation in agriculture and food security. Vucic expressed scepticism about rapid EU accession for either country but pledged Belgrade's support for Ukraine's EU bid.

Territorial integrity and Kosovo

Vucic reaffirmed Serbia's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, including territories seized by Russia since 2014. Ukraine, in turn, has not recognised Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, a position consistent with its defense of territorial integrity and aimed at avoiding precedents Russia could use to justify annexing Ukrainian territories. Vucic thanked Kyiv for its support of Serbia's territorial integrity.

You have never heard a single bad word about our country, neither from Volodymyr Zelenskiy nor anyone else (in Ukraine), and I am extremely grateful to our Ukrainian friends for that.

No military cooperation, sanctions avoided

Vucic stated that military cooperation with Ukraine was not on the agenda and denied reports that Serbia would build drones with Ukraine, saying such cooperation was instead planned with Israel. The Kremlin has accused Serbia multiple times of selling ammunition to Ukraine via intermediaries; Belgrade has denied supplying ammunition to Ukraine but acknowledged selling to other buyers worldwide. Vucic stopped short of any pledge to impose sanctions on Russia, Serbia's long-time ally. Serbia remains dependent on Russia for most of its gas. At the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Kyiv on 15 July, Vucic was the only participant who refused to sign a joint declaration on continued support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia.

Energy crisis and humanitarian aid

Zelensky warned that virtually no intact thermal power plants remain in Ukraine ahead of the coming winter, due to Russian strikes on energy facilities. He said Russian attacks had also damaged railway stations, hospitals, universities, and civilian businesses. Zelensky thanked Serbia for a new humanitarian aid package focused on the medical and energy sectors and said the two leaders discussed joint infrastructure projects, including ports and railways in both countries, as well as cooperation on energy and food security. US President Donald Trump had weeks earlier promised to allow licensed production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine, essential for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, but subsequently cast doubt on that intention. Zelensky said he remained in close contact with Washington.

We are developing all formats of cooperation which can give our people more resilience.