Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed the “GLOBSEC 2025” Global Security Forum in Prague, a platform recognized as one of Europe’s most influential for shaping global security discourse.
During his remarks, Vucic emphasized that Serbia’s path to the EU is primarily a political matter rather than one based solely on merit. He stated that the main barrier to Serbia’s accession is the unresolved issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Belgrade continues to adhere to the UN Charter and Resolution 1244, which recognizes Kosovo as part of Serbia, and the Serbian government is not prepared to recognize its independence.
As the opening speaker at the panel “Seizing the Moment: Forging Lasting Partnerships in the Neighbourhood,” Vucic was asked what is currently holding Serbia back on its EU path.
“There’s still a lot of work ahead. In Europe, people often speak about merit-based accession, but that’s never truly been the case. Just look at how Romania and Bulgaria entered – it was a political decision, not one purely based on merit. For us, the major challenge remains the issue with Pristina. That’s a very complex matter,” said Vucic.
He also noted that Serbia has had one of the highest growth rates in the region over the past decade, outpacing much of Europe.
“So, Serbia should be attractive to the EU. But EU membership isn’t only about economic development. It’s also about belonging to the single market and removing borders with other nations – something that significantly affects both the economy and people’s daily lives. There are other reasons as well – some people talk about values, but when we try to define them, differences inevitably arise,” he said.
Vucic highlighted that Serbia’s situation differs from that of other candidate countries.
“For us, the issue is Kosovo. According to the UN Charter and Resolution 1244, Kosovo remains a part of Serbia. Of the 27 EU members, 22 have recognized Kosovo’s independence, but five have not. That’s the problem. Belgrade will not accept Kosovo’s independence,” he said.
He reminded the audience that Slovakia, Romania, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus also do not recognize Kosovo.
“Last year in Prague, I said the same thing: we support Ukraine’s territorial integrity – absolutely. But if international law and the UN Charter matter so much, how do you explain to ordinary Serbs, not just politicians, that Serbia’s own territorial integrity doesn’t matter? Resolution 1244 is still in force. But apparently, for some Western allies, political interests outweigh international law,” Vucic stated.
Asked whether declining support for EU membership in Serbia is due to his ties with Russia or his ability to negotiate with Moscow, Vucic responded that Russia has traditionally been a friend of Serbia.
“That’s not a secret. We’ve had a consistent stance on Ukraine and emphasized our support for the UN Charter and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The shift in public opinion has little to do with Russia. Two decades ago, 80% of Serbs supported EU membership – now it’s only 40%. You see the same in North Macedonia. Albanians are overwhelmingly in favor of the EU, while ethnic Macedonians are increasingly skeptical. So this isn’t about Russia – it’s about our own expectations and needs,” Vucic explained.
Serbia Does Not Export Weapons to Either Side
Responding to a question about supplying weapons to Ukraine, Vucic said Serbia has good relations with Kyiv, which has never recognized Kosovo’s independence.
“I met with President Zelensky just two days ago in Odesa. We’ve spoken nine times in total. Ukraine has always respected international law and didn’t invite Pristina to Odesa. We value that. We have nothing against Ukraine,” he said.
As for potential arms sales, Vucic stated Serbia’s laws strictly prohibit exporting weapons to either Russia or Ukraine.
“We are legally barred from selling or delivering weapons to any other country, whether it’s Ukraine or Russia. Some claim our weapons ended up in Ukraine through third countries. But when you sell arms internationally, it’s always possible that they may end up elsewhere,” he explained.
He added that Serbia has offered help to Ukraine in rebuilding one or two cities or possibly an entire region.
“Last year, we provided tens of millions in aid to Ukraine as a donation from the Serbian government,” Vucic said.
Asked if Russia pressured Serbia to stop aiding Ukraine, he replied that Serbia acts independently.
“There hasn’t been significant pressure because we act as a sovereign and independent state,” he said.
EU Path Should Not Be About Choosing Sides
Vucic argued that Serbia’s EU path should not depend on whether the country is “pro-Russia” or not.
“This shouldn’t be about choosing sides. We will never be anti-Russian. We won’t oppose them. Being pro-Russian just means we have good relations. But we’re not ‘little Russians,’ as some in the US imagine. We are Serbs,” he said.
He pointed out that the key issue is the EU’s strategic approach toward enlargement.
“You know what they’ve done recently? There’s always one EU member state that objects to something. In North Macedonia, it’s always Bulgaria. For Serbia, it’s Croatia or another country. They’ll say it’s about textbooks or minority issues – anything to slow us down,” Vucic said.
He added that such behavior erodes trust between Serbia and the EU.
“I believe we all need to show more respect. Perhaps it’s my fault EU support is so low in Serbia. Maybe I need to change my approach – do better PR for the EU,” he added.
Joining Vucic on the panel were Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, former Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, and Miroslav Lajcak, former Slovak Foreign Minister and EU envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.
