Von der Leyen Cancels Serbian PM Meeting Over Russia Ties

Brussels was offended that Milos Vucevic had met with a Russian minister

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called off her planned talks with Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, citing his previous meeting with a Russian official.

Von der Leyen arrived in Belgrade on Friday as part of her Balkans tour. She met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and was initially scheduled to meet Vucevic as well.

“We canceled the meeting with the prime minister after his meeting with the Russian economy minister,” the EU ambassador to Serbia Emmanuel Gioffre told AFP, highlighting that Serbia had indicated its intention to “strengthen its economic relations with Russia.”

Vucevic had met with Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov, expressing gratitude to Moscow for its support of Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Serbia greatly appreciates this support and will not forget,” Vucevic said. He also acknowledged Moscow’s invitation to Belgrade to participate in the BRICS summit in Kazan earlier this week.

Vucic had indicated that he would not attend, citing the visits by Von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, but several cabinet ministers and Deputy PM Aleksandar Vulin traveled to Kazan and took part in the BRICS meetings.

Reshetnikov conveyed Moscow’s appreciation for Serbia’s refusal to join the EU sanctions against Russia. Serbia declared military neutrality and has consistently resisted pressure from Brussels to “harmonize its foreign policy” with that of the EU.

Both Vucic and the cabinet have repeatedly emphasized the hypocrisy and double standards of the West in advocating for Ukraine’s borders, while simultaneously demanding that Serbia recognize its province of Kosovo as an independent state governed by NATO-backed ethnic Albanians.

Serbia is officially committed to joining the EU, but the bloc has made its membership contingent on sanctioning Russia and recognizing Kosovo – among other conditions – which Vucic has vowed he will never do.