Vučić: No European leader has gone through what I have

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that he believes no European leader has endured the recent hardships he has faced. He expressed confidence in winning upcoming elections, which he described as more democratic than those in many other countries.

In a podcast interview, Vučić addressed accusations of becoming more authoritarian, suggesting that changing deeply held beliefs is difficult. He detailed what he termed a "huge number of lies" spread about him, including allegations related to the Jovanjica affair and claims about his involvement in events in Sarajevo, asserting these were proven false.

Vučić highlighted Serbia's economic advancements over the past decade. He contrasted the country's position in 2017, when it ranked fourth in average salaries and pensions behind Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its current standing, claiming Serbia now leads the region.

He also recounted a meeting with European leaders, including Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, and Antonio Costa, during the EU-Western Balkans Summit. Vučić noted that while discussions covered various topics, the focus shifted to Serbia's European integration process, a subject he expressed disappointment over, particularly regarding the delayed opening of Cluster 3 and unmet expectations since the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

Regarding his participation in a summit in Kyiv, Vučić mentioned it was his fifth in that format. He emphasized Serbia's commitment to the UN Charter and territorial integrity, including that of Ukraine, and detailed Serbia's humanitarian aid efforts. He also touched upon Russia's reaction to Serbia's cooperation with Ukraine, framing it as an example of democratic functioning.