Aleksandar Vucic makes first-ever visit to Ukraine

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic travelled to the Ukrainian city of Odesa for a regional summit on Wednesday, the first time the Moscow-friendly leader has visited the country during his 12 years in power, Reuters reports.

Senior politicians from 12 Southeastern European nations also took part in the summit, which was hosted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

 

At the summit, Vucic, who has previously met Zelenskiy at least three times, said Serbia could help Kyiv in the renewal of Ukraine’s war-torn regions.

 

Serbia wants to join the European Union, but Russia, a traditional Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally, remains its biggest gas supplier, and the country’s sole oil refinery is majority-owned by Gazprom (GAZP.MM), opens new tab and Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), opens new tab.

 

Although Belgrade has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it has condemned Moscow’s policies in the United Nations and expressed support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.