Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on June 11 as part of the “Ukraine – Southeast Europe” summit held in Odesa. During the talks, the leaders discussed the current cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the energy sector.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Support for Energy and Humanitarian Aid
Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to his Serbian counterpart for participating in the summit and for the financial and humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine, especially emphasizing support for the energy sector. The Ukrainian president also invited Serbia to join the reconstruction process of the country and participate in the international Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, scheduled for July 10–11 in Rome.
“Aleksandar Vucic assured of Serbia’s firm support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The leaders discussed the path of Ukraine and Serbia towards EU integration and bilateral cooperation. Volodymyr Zelensky invited Serbia to join in the reconstruction of our country and participate in the international Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, which will take place on July 10–11 in Rome. The President of Ukraine thanked Serbia for the initiative to take patronage over the reconstruction of several Ukrainian settlements,” the Zelensky website stated.
Serbia’s Position on Sanctions Against Russia
Aleksandar Vucic confirmed that Serbia supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, he refrained from signing the final declaration of the summit, as it called for the imposition of new sanctions against the Russian Federation. Serbia remains the only European country that has not joined the EU sanctions against Russia, citing potential economic losses and domestic political circumstances.
It is worth noting that the President of Serbia had previously offered assistance in the reconstruction of one or two Ukrainian cities or regions after the war. However, on May 9, Aleksandar Vucic was in Moscow at a military parade alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating the complexity of balancing Belgrade’s foreign policy orientations.