As Serbian President courts Russia and China, the EU looks the other way

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić emphasised in Beijing on 4 September the high regard he claims to enjoy from Russia and China, asserting that he is free to chart an independent foreign policy despite his country’s status as an EU candidate.

While publicly reiterating that joining the European Union remains Serbia’s primary goal, Vučić simultaneously portrays to Moscow and Beijing Brussels as pressuring Belgrade to impose sanctions on Russia and organising color revolutions to remove him from power.

With the rare exception of Kosovo’s president Vjosa Osmani, who criticises Vučić over his China visit, there is a conspicuous lack of official or think-tank criticism of Vučić’s policies within the European sphere. This silence may partly be explained by the fact that Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia, a an EU member, also took the liberty to join an anti-Western crowd in Beijing.

Osmani criticised Vučić for feigning Western alignment while secretly aligning with Russia and China, asserting, “Vučić has convinced many in the West that he sits on two chairs. But he is only sitting on Russia’s chair – the other is just an act.”

Serbia’s growing engagement with non-Western powers

Vučić’s September visit to China, where he met President Xi Jinping and appeared alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, occurred amidst domestic protests, illustrating the delicate balance he faces in advancing Serbia’s international ambitions while managing internal dissent.

While Serbia maintains its pursuit of EU membership, it also asserts an independent foreign policy, notably by refusing to impose sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Vučić’s actions in foreign policy and towards the protests has drawn only moderate criticism from Brussels regarding his governance.

Strengthening ties with China and Russia

During his meeting with Xi Jinping on 4 September, Vučić emphasized Serbia’s historical role in resisting fascism, claiming to have educated Xi about the Serbian fight against “regional Nazism,” which he characterized as more brutal than German Nazism.

He portrayed Serbia as a vital anti-fascist force, a narrative resonant with his domestic messaging. Vučić described the discussions as “cordial” and “productive,” revealing Xi’s invitation for a state visit within six months.

Economically, Vučić highlighted the booming Serbia-China trade, projected to reach €8.5 billion by 2025. He discussed future Chinese investments in artificial intelligence, robotics, military technology, and infrastructure projects like the Belgrade-Subotica high-speed railway, set to open soon.

Vučić also met with Chinese companies such as Xpeng, announcing plans to introduce flying cars in Serbia by December 2026 – a promise met with skepticism domestically.

He reaffirmed Serbia’s strategic partnership with Russia, citing a Russian award bestowed upon him by Putin – an honor he claims no Serbian leader has received since Nikola Pašić over a century ago.

Nikola Pašić, a prominent Serbian politician and former prime minister, was known for his pro-Russian stance and Serbian nationalism, traits that resonate with Vučić’s current foreign policy approach.

China, meanwhile, pledged to support Serbia in safeguarding its social stability and national interests, with Xi expressing hope for the “sound and steady development of China-Serbia relations” and promising to deepen cooperation in energy, infrastructure, and logistics sectors.

Internal challenges and growing criticism

Vučić’s international engagements unfold amid Serbia’s most severe political crisis since he rose to power in 2012. Protests, ignited by the collapse of a renovated railway station roof in Novi Sad in November 2024, have escalated into violent clashes and calls for snap elections by summer 2025.

His Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which secured 46.7% of the vote in the December 2023 snap elections, faces mounting accusations of authoritarianism, media control, and weakened democratic institutions.

Biljana Stepanović, editor-in-chief of New Economy, dismissed Vučić’s flying car announcement as a distraction from pressing domestic issues like inadequate infrastructure and low living standards. “He’s probably counting on impressing citizens with promises of flying cars, even though many lack basic services like sewage,” she remarked.

Vučić’s crackdown on protests and accusations of orchestrating “color revolutions” have raised questions about Serbia’s commitment to EU values.

In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 21 August, Vučić claimed that protests had devolved into violent blockades led by extremists, asserting that police responses had been restrained.

It remains uncertain whether Vučić’s prominent China visit is part of a wider plan to strengthen ties with authoritarian regimes, possibly jeopardizing Serbia’s EU ambitions, but the EU’s muted response so far keeps possibilities open.

Other sources: Danas, Balkan Insight, edited by a.k.

Caption: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 4 September 2025. EPA/XINHUA