Serbian president to visit Russia in May in first since Ukraine invasion

By : AFP

Date: 19 November 2024 10:13pm WAT

(FILES) In this file photograph taken on October 6, 2021, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic addresses a press conference at the end of the EU-Western Balkans summit in The Brdo Congress Centre, near Ljubljana. - Novak Djokovic is a victim of a 'political witch hunt' claimed Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic on Janaury 6, 2022, after Australian authorities said he failed to meet stringent pandemic entry requirements. The 34-year-old world number one's lawyers are appealing the decision which if it fails would see him deported from Australia. (Photo by Jure Makovec / AFP)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed on Tuesday that he will visit Moscow in May for a World War II commemoration, marking his first trip to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.

Vucic made the announcement in a public address following an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the event.

“If the end of the world doesn’t happen—though I’m no longer so sure, but I hope it won’t—it would be a great honour for me to be at Red Square for the 80th anniversary of liberation from fascism,” Vucic said.

The Serbian president said he also discussed the event with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who “will also attend.”

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it wanted to make May 9 “the biggest celebration in its history,” amid a push of patriotic and military values to drum up support for the conflict in Ukraine.

Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012, with its officials emphasising that the European path is the country’s strategic priority.

But Serbia maintains strong ties with Russia, both politically and economically, relying almost entirely on Russian gas. The current gas agreement expires in March and discussions about a new one are underway.

Brussels has frequently expressed concern over Belgrade’s ties with Moscow and called on Serbia to align its foreign and security policy with Europe.

During a visit to Belgrade late in October, the EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen cancelled talks with Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic because of his earlier meeting with a Russian minister.