Thewesternbalkans.
On Friday, August 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Serbia for his first official visit to the country since the beginning of his term and after the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.
The historic visit took place under heightened security measures and marked the beginning of a new phase in the diplomatic balance of the Balkans.
The official program of the Ukrainian delegation began on Friday evening with preliminary talks, and on Saturday morning President Aleksandar Vučić welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky with an official ceremony in front of the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade.
The program included a one-on-one meeting between the two heads of state, followed by extended plenary talks between the delegations. In the early afternoon, the Ukrainian leader also held a key meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut. The official part of Saturday’s program ended with a working lunch hosted by the Serbian Prime Minister in honour of the guests from Kyiv.
Economic pragmatism prevailed during the talks. The two sides officially signed a memorandum of cooperation in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and food safety.
The most important news from the meeting is the decision to start preparations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Ukraine and Serbia. According to the official Telegram channel of Volodymyr Zelensky, expert teams will work quickly so that the document can be ready for signing by the end of 2026. The President of Ukraine added that the two countries will modernize their joint railway and port infrastructure to ease logistics.
Ahead of the upcoming winter, energy has become a central topic. Zelensky expressed deep gratitude to Vučić for approving the new Serbian humanitarian aid package, specifically aimed at healthcare and supporting Ukraine’s energy sector.
During the joint press conference, the two leaders showed mutual respect on delicate political issues. Aleksandar Vučić firmly emphasized that Serbia supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity within the UN framework without any conditions. He thanked Kyiv for taking the same principled stance regarding Serbia’s sovereignty and the non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Zelensky also confirmed that Ukraine’s position regarding the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo remains unchanged.
“We respect the territorial integrity of our partners. We respect international law. That is why our position on the issue you mentioned – the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo – remains unchanged,” said the Ukrainian president.
Regarding European integration, Zelensky noted that he fully understands Serbia’s scepticism about the pace of European Union expansion, but added that ‘Ukraine is at war and there is no time for scepticism.’ The Serbian president confirmed that Belgrade firmly supports Ukraine’s European path. Vučić stated that Ukraine will have Serbia’s full support on its European path, emphasizing the mutual support between Belgrade and Kyiv on issues of territorial integrity.
Aleksandar Vučić explicitly told the media that military cooperation with Kyiv was not discussed during the visit. The head of state denied rumours about plans for joint drone production between Serbia and Ukraine, clarifying that Serbia will open its own drone factory in partnership with Israel in mid-September.
This visit also coincides with the broader regional context, including the upcoming launch of the so-called ‘Carpathian Initiative’ in the fall of 2026, aimed at the economic recovery of the region.
After talks with Vučić, Zelensky also met with Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut. The two discussed bilateral relations, the situation in Ukraine, and key European and international issues. According to a statement from the Serbian government, Macut emphasized that Serbia continues to pursue a ‘responsible and independent policy’ based on respect for international law, the UN Charter, and the principle of state territorial integrity. The Serbian prime minister said that Belgrade remains firmly committed to peace and believes that lasting solutions can only be achieved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also recalled that Serbia continues to provide humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Ukraine.
The meetings between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, as well as Prime Minister Đuro Macut, can be seen as an example of **high-level diplomatic preparation for a state visit**. The discussions focused exclusively on issues of significant mutual interest, including the possible conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Serbia has so far managed to keep the issue of sanctions separate from its broader bilateral relationship with Ukraine.
Comments: For Serbia, the newly proposed Carpathian Initiative is also of considerable importance, as it provides an opportunity to raise the issue of Belgrade’s potential role in the future reconstruction of Ukraine — a project that could have a broader impact on how Serbia’s role in Europe is perceived. For Belgrade, the initiative represents a particularly important opportunity to demonstrate that strategic commitment is measured not only by political positions, but also by tangible and practical contributions.
At this stage, however, the Carpathian Initiative remains more of a political proposal than a fully developed cooperation mechanism. President Zelenskyy has proposed bringing together Ukraine, Romania, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Serbia** to cooperate in areas such as logistics, economic development, security, tourism and the reconstruction of Ukraine. It would be particularly interesting to clarify the Ukrainian rationale for Bulgaria’s absence from the proposed format, given the country’s geographical position and its role in regional transport and connectivity.
At present, the initiative has no established institutional structure, permanent secretariat, dedicated financial mechanism or formal governance framework. Its future significance will therefore depend largely on whether the participating countries are able to translate the political concept into concrete projects and sustainable forms of cooperation.
One of the potentially important areas of cooperation could be the Danube River, which has already become increasingly important for Ukrainian exports following repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Strengthening Danube transport, logistics and port infrastructure could therefore become one of the most tangible elements of the proposed initiative, while also providing Serbia with an opportunity to position itself more actively in the emerging regional architecture of Ukraine’s reconstruction and European economic integration.
