Now Reading: Zelensky Visits Serbia as Belgrade Balances Russia and EU Ties
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Zelensky Visits Serbia as Belgrade Balances Russia and EU Ties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Serbia on August 7 for his first official trip there since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. He met Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, with talks…
The Story in Brief
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Serbia on August 7 for his first official trip there since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. He met Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, with talks covering economic cooperation, security and relations with the European Union. The two-day visit also includes a meeting with Prime Minister Đuro Macut.
Serbia has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow but is seeking EU membership and depends heavily on Russia for natural gas. Belgrade has supplied aid to Ukraine and promised reconstruction support, while Vučić has increased contacts with Kyiv without endorsing tougher sanctions on Russia. The visit also comes after a year of youth-led protests linked to a train station disaster that killed 16 people.
The Indian Opinion
The easy claim that Zelensky has pulled Serbia into Kyiv’s camp is not supported by Belgrade’s unchanged sanctions policy or its energy dependence on Moscow. The opposite claim, that the visit is merely symbolic, also misses Serbia’s aid to Ukraine and its EU ambitions. Vučić is testing how much room he has with both sides. The practical measure will be whether Serbia changes its sanctions position or signs a new economic and security agreement with Kyiv.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
