Description: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the Southeastern Europe Summit in Odessa hosted by Ukraine’s President Volodymir Zelenskyy. The press release from the Vucic’s office stated that he travelled to Odessa for one day and abstained from signing the joint declaration which other leaders signed in support of Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the war with Russia. The visit arrives on the back of recent developments discovered by the SVR which stated that Serbia has continuously supplied Ukraine with weapons despite declaring neutrality in the war. Vucic stated that he abstained from signing the joint declaration in order to protect Serbian interests and maintain a neutral stance towards both Ukraine and Russia. Serbia is juggling between balancing its European aspirations and maintaining stable bilateral relations with Russia, which is responsible for the country’s energy and gas supply as well as some of its armament.
Impact: Vucic’s visit to Ukraine adds towards his multi horizon foreign policy practices and attempts to appease the Union by sending a message of neutrality. Recent adversarial clashes with Russia over Serbia’s weapons supplies to Ukraine, while facing a mounting domestic crisis personified through the protests caused by the deadly canopy accident in Novi Sad, prompt the Serbian populist leader towards adopting a moderately cordial attitude towards its allies within the European Union. Serbia remains on the outskirts of the Union with the refusal to recognize Kosovo’s independence still persisting as the greatest impediment to its accession in the EU. The visit emphasizes deteriorating relations with Russia which could sway Serbia in Europe’s direction in the long – term.