Zelenskyy meets Vučić in Belgrade; Serbia reaffirms support for Ukraine's territorial integrity

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade for a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, as Ukraine continues to face military pressure from advancing Russian forces. The visit, long anticipated, comes after Zelenskyy attended a regional summit in Kyiv where he was the sole participant not to sign a joint declaration.

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What seems most important to me is that Serbia, and I have clearly stated this as its president, supports the UN Charter and UN resolutions, which implies respect for the territorial integrity of all UN member states, including Ukraine.

During a press conference following their talks, Vučić emphasized Serbia's adherence to the UN Charter and respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity. He stated that discussions did not involve the topic of weapons, despite some analyses suggesting military supplies might be a focus. "What seems most important to me is that Serbia, and I have clearly stated this as its president, supports the UN Charter and UN resolutions, which implies respect for the territorial integrity of all UN member states, including Ukraine," Vučić said.

Zelenskyy drew attention to recent Russian attacks, noting that 13 people died in strikes that targeted infrastructure and involved ballistic missiles. He had previously indicated on social media that the discussions would cover expanding economic ties, relations with the European Union, and security issues, stressing Ukraine's readiness for constructive cooperation based on mutual respect.

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Scheduled important talks – with President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macuta. We will discuss the expansion of economic ties between our countries, relations with the European Union, other areas that can benefit our peoples, as well as security issues. Ukraine is always ready to work constructively, for mutual benefit and on the basis of mutual respect.

However, information circulating on Russian channels suggests that gas transit and energy cooperation were central to the discussions. This aligns with recent developments concerning the Vertical Gas Corridor, a project aimed at supplying gas to Southern and Central Europe via Ukraine. Serbian and Ukrainian energy operators have participated in meetings related to this initiative, indicating potential collaboration in securing energy resources. The Serbian Minister of Energy, Dubravka Đedović-Handanović, was present at the airport to greet Zelenskyy, further underscoring the significance of energy matters.

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13 people died in Russian attacks, and infrastructure was hit again with the extensive use of ballistic missiles.