Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic vowed Thursday to honor his promise to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, despite potential backlash from the European Union.
While Serbia has long maintained close ties with Russia, Vucic has avoided visiting Moscow since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine amid his country’s bid for EU membership.
Still, he said he was “ready to endure any punishment, sanctions – whatever they decide” to stand alongside Putin at commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
“Eight months ago ... I told Putin over the phone that I would come to Moscow on May 9,” Vucic said during a visit to the United States.
“My word, which I gave, is worth something,” the Serbian leader added.
“Nobody else has to go, nobody else has to pay the price. I will go.”
Vucic is expected to join the leaders of about 20 countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, for the large Red Square military parade commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Milorad Dodik, the leader of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb entity, is also expected to attend.
Since Putin ordered troops into Ukraine, Serbia has walked a diplomatic tightrope between Brussels and Moscow.
Serbia has been an EU candidate since 2012 – with Vucic on Thursday insisting it would “never quit” the path to membership – and conducts most of its trade with the bloc.
However, it depends almost entirely on Russia for gas. Its current supply deal expires this month, and the government is negotiating a new agreement.
The EU has repeatedly urged Belgrade to align its foreign and security policy with Brussels. However, Serbia has never joined EU sanctions against Moscow, and several Serbian ministers have visited Russia in recent years.
