Aleksandar Vucic‚ Serbias President‚ and Vladimir Putin‚ Russias leader‚ had a phone conversation today - their first in roughly two-and-a-half years. The call marked the 80th anniversary of Belgrades freedom from fascism and covered various two-sided matters.
Vucic shared on Instagram: “We had a long good open and meaningful conversation“. He expressed gratitude to Putin for helping “to secure sufficient natural gas quantities from Russia to Serbia this winter“. The two countries gas supply agreement‚ set to end in March 2025 ensures Serbias energy needs are met.
Serbia - which faced NATO bombing about 25 years ago during the Kosovo conflict - has long-standing ties with Russia. However it also wants to join the European Union. Western nations have been pushing Serbia to side with the EU and put sanctions on Russia for its actions in Ukraine. But Vucic stated today that Serbia doesnt plan to change its no-sanctions position.
Despite pressure Serbia keeps walking a thin line between its EU aspirations and Russian friendship. This balancing act reflects the countrys complex geo-political situation:
- Historical bonds with Russia
- Desire for EU membership
- Refusal to sanction Russia over Ukraine
- Need for Russian gas supplies
The rare call between Vucic and Putin shows Serbias ongoing efforts to maintain its relationships with both East and West‚ while securing its energy needs for the coming winter