Vucic: Serbia won’t justify its ties with Russia and China

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Belgrade has been under Western pressure to adopt an adversarial stance towards Moscow, despite their deep-seated historic and strategic connections.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has pushed back against EU demands regarding Belgrade’s relationships with Russia and China, stating he is not a “pupil in an elementary school” to be lectured.

During an EU enlargement summit held in Brussels on Tuesday, Vucic challenged what he termed “thousands of doubts” expressed by EU member states concerning Serbia’s international affiliations.

The Balkan nation remains one of the few in Europe that has declined to implement Western sanctions against Russia, citing its enduring historic and strategic links to the country, even as it pursues membership in the European Union.

“I cannot and I’m not going to justify myself for talking with someone,” the Serbian leader declared. “I think it’s really stupid, and I’m not a pupil in an elementary school, to tell you the truth. I believe that everybody should talk to each other,” he added. Despite Western pressure for Serbia to antagonize Russia, Vucic made it clear that he intends to maintain his current approach to international diplomacy.

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, he characterized himself as a minor participant, stating: “I’m a small guy coming from a small country. I don’t give myself a chance to interfere in something big.”

Vucic also defended his recent visit to Russia as an economic necessity. “I had plenty of reasons to go there,” he remarked, referencing discussions on gas supplies and the challenging situation of the Serbian oil company NIS, which is majority-owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom and has been targeted by US sanctions.

Last month, Washington activated restrictions against NIS (Petroleum Industry of Serbia), prompting Belgrade to either facilitate the sale of Gazprom’s stake in the firm or assume control through nationalization.

Both Brussels and Washington have repeatedly urged Belgrade to align its foreign policy with that of the EU, specifically by severing its ties with Moscow – a move Serbia has resisted.

Moscow has consistently lauded Serbia’s independent stance, with Russian officials characterizing the relationship as one of “historic friendship and strategic partnership” and supporting what they describe as Serbia’s sovereign right to choose its own partners.