Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has stated he hopes to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his planned visit to China in early September. Both leaders are expected to attend World War II commemorations hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in the war.
Vucic shared his anticipation during a visit to the village of Banstol, where he mentioned that he was informed by Chinese officials that Putin would likely be present, and that a meeting could be arranged.
He also expressed uncertainty about the presence of former US President Donald Trump, stating that while he had been invited to a dinner on the 5th, he was not sure if Trump would attend. Vucic explained that he was asked to stay in Beijing for a diplomatic gathering, which included the 5th, when some of the world’s greatest leaders would be celebrating the event.
In May, Vucic traveled to Moscow to attend Victory Day celebrations, despite a health issue that forced him to cut short a US visit and cancel a planned meeting with Trump in Florida. He was joined in Russia by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, despite pressure from Brussels.
During that trip, he met with Putin and reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to long-term energy cooperation with Russia.
Serbia remains one of the few European countries that has refused to impose sanctions on Russia or openly back Ukraine. Vucic previously stated that the EU continues to pressure Serbia to abandon its neutrality and sever ties with Moscow.