Vučić: Serbia will stay neutral despite rising Europe-Russia tensions

Serbia will remain neutral and act solely in its own national interest in the event of a potential conflict between Europe and Russia, President Aleksandar Vučić has said.

Speaking on Radio Television of Serbia, Vučić addressed growing speculation about Serbia’s geopolitical alignment amid rising tensions, per Russian media.

“We are standing on the threshold of a major conflict, and many people are asking whose side Serbia is on — Russia’s or Europe’s? We are on our own side, whether anyone likes it or not,” he said.

The president recalled the heavy historical cost Serbia paid in past wars, noting that during the First World War, the country lost nearly 29 per cent of its population. Against that background, he stressed that Serbia has no intention of entering a new war.

“We are not going to enter a war, but we are strengthening our army and purchasing many systems so that people feel safe and know that we have powerful deterrent capabilities,” Vučić stated.
He added that any attempt to act against Serbia would be futile: “Those who might try to do something against us must understand that it would be impossible and that their losses would be unjustified.”

Vučić sought to reassure the public, underlining that maintaining peace remains his top priority. “People can be calm — my main task is to preserve peace and ensure economic development,” he said.

The Serbian leader further emphasised that even if a broader conflict were to break out, Serbia would not take part in fighting. Instead, the country would continue to reinforce its armed forces and invest in military systems so that citizens feel secure and potential adversaries are aware of Serbia’s strong deterrence capacity.

In November, Vučić had already warned that European countries were preparing for a possible war with Russia and argued that Serbia must strengthen its military in response. At that time, he described the country as being caught “between a rock and a hard place” amid rising tensions and highlighted the urgent need to reinforce Serbia’s air force as a priority.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vulin claimed that the European Union was preparing for a military confrontation with Russia and wanted “others,” rather than EU citizens, to bear the human cost of such a conflict.

Before that, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Serbia must “choose a side,” even taking into account its special relationship with Russia.

By Tamilla Hasanova