Vučić says EU talks were "torture" over Russia sanctions

Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said talks with European Union representatives had been difficult, with sanctions against Russia repeatedly raised during meetings over the past four and a half years, RBC Ukraine reports.

"Every meeting, almost every meeting over the past four and a half years in Europe, was torture. Every one. I was not comfortable at any of them. Because at every one, the first question was: 'Why haven't you imposed sanctions on Russia?' Everywhere. It was also difficult with the Russians... In the end, Serbia suffers. Nowhere was it simple or easy for us. It won't be in the future either," Vučić complained.

Vučić has previously said Belgrade faced significant external pressure over its relations with Moscow and noted that Serbia had not imposed sanctions on Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also said EU representatives were promising to speed up Serbia’s EU accession talks in return for Belgrade meeting two main demands: recognising Kosovo’s independence and joining sanctions against Russia.

Aleksandar Vučić became Serbia’s president on May 31, 2017, when he was sworn into office. He was re-elected for a second term in 2022 and took the oath of office again on May 31 that year.

By September 2026, Vučić had therefore been serving as president for more than nine years.

Recent reports have also said that Vučić dissolved Serbia’s parliament. The country has additionally seen street protests, with demonstrators calling for the president to resign.

By Aghakazim Guliyev