Vucic after meeting Zelenskyy: Little chance of Serbia joining EU soon for 'numerous political reasons'

Speaking after talks with Zelenskyy and the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the field of agriculture, Vucic said Serbia supported Ukraine's territorial integrity and was grateful that the support was mutual. He added that the two countries supported each other on their respective paths towards the EU.

Responding to reporters, Vucic said he had told Zelenskyy that he understood his enthusiasm for joining the EU as soon as possible, but believed rapid accession was unlikely, at least in Serbia's case.

“As a political veteran, I do not currently see the possibility, above all for Serbia, of becoming an EU member soon, for numerous political reasons. And I fully stand behind what I wrote with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama,” Vucic said.

He also questioned whether all European countries would be supportive of Ukraine's membership.

“They always find someone. For us, they will find some Croats, Bulgarians, Dutch. For the Ukrainians, they will find others. But at this moment, I do not see the possibility of this realistically being put into practice,” Vucic said.

He stressed that Serbia would “never create a problem” for Ukraine on its path towards the EU.

Vucic said access to the EU single market was crucial for both countries, but added that he did not believe there would be unanimity in Europe on accelerating their European integration.

“Unfortunately, it has turned out that my scepticism was justified,” he said.

Bilateral trade increases

Vucic said trade between Serbia and Ukraine had increased significantly, reaching around $450 million last year and approximately $321 million in the first six months of this year.

Serbia's most important import from Ukraine is iron ore, he said, adding that he expected cooperation in agriculture, energy and other sectors to further increase bilateral trade.

The two leaders also discussed joint infrastructure projects and the possible involvement of Ukrainian companies in Serbia.

Vucic said Serbia imports iron ore, soybeans, soybean meal and flaxseed from Ukraine, while exporting products including fruit seedlings, sunflower seeds and baby food.

He said he hoped cooperation would expand further after the war, including in foreign policy, and predicted more frequent meetings between Serbian and Ukrainian officials.

'I am afraid we will have another difficult winter'

Asked by a Ukrainian journalist why Russian President Vladimir Putin was continuing his “aggression and war” and whether he saw signs that Putin was ready for genuine negotiations, Vucic said he could not predict when the war would end.

He said the Serbian people hoped it would end soon, but that he had no concrete information suggesting this was likely.

“I am afraid we will have another difficult winter,” Vucic said.

He also recalled Serbia's previous pledge to assist a small Ukrainian town that had been heavily affected by attacks during the war.

“We will invest significantly in it, and I believe the Ukrainian people will appreciate this support from the Serbian people,” Vucic said.