During his visit to Ukraine, President Aleksandar Vučić emphasized Serbia's stance on territorial integrity and bilateral discussions with Ukraine.
President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia stated that he had successful meetings in Odesa and expressed gratitude to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for fully respecting the UN Charter and Serbia's territorial integrity.
At the Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit, Vučić noted that there were no representatives from Pristina present, highlighting a significant gesture from Ukraine towards Serbia.
In comments to the media, Vučić categorized the discussions as productive and described this visit as his fourth attendance at the Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit and the first held on Ukrainian territory.
He underscored the importance of the territorial integrity message during discussions with Zelensky and other regional leaders, including Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Croatia's and Montenegro's Prime Ministers, and the Bulgarian Prime Minister.
Vučić emphasized that the bilateral talks covered critical issues, particularly regarding trade relations and free trade agreements, which have faced interruptions due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
He expressed the desire to enhance cooperation to benefit economic growth in both countries.
Regarding the recently adopted declaration, Vučić confirmed that Serbia had abstained from signing, indicating that it was not a simple decision for his country.
He reiterated gratitude towards Zelensky for hospitality during the summit, asserting that Serbia had not aligned itself against Russia nor signed any anti-Russian declaration, despite media claims to the contrary.
When addressed on media reports suggesting that his visit was unannounced and questioning Serbia's diplomatic balance, Vučić refuted allegations of betrayal, asserting that he had not relinquished Serbia's interests.
He mentioned that differing accusations from the media reflected a lack of clarity about their desires from Serbian policy.
Vučić acknowledged emotional responses within Serbia towards Ukraine and questioned the basis for such sentiments, citing Ukraine's decision not to include Pristina's representatives and maintaining Serbia's abstention regarding the declaration as noteworthy aspects of the visit.
He articulated pride in Serbia's independent foreign policy and the efforts that have led to sustained diplomatic relationships, while indicating that the continued pursuit of such a policy may become challenging in the future.
The President concluded by expressing confidence in managing Serbia's independent trajectory through established personal relationships forged over time, endorsing the current diplomatic direction.