EditSerbia-Montenegro ties plunge to new low as Vučić accuses neighbour of “hybrid war”
Sharp diplomatic exchanges highlight deep divisions as Montenegro advances rapidly toward EU membership while Serbia lags behind
Diplomatic relations between Serbia and Montenegro hit a fresh low this week after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accused Montenegro of waging a “hybrid war” against his country, triggering a sharp rebuttal from Podgorica.
The latest flare-up began when Vučić, appearing on Serbia’s TV Prva, claimed that Montenegrin media had played an active role in fuelling recent protests in Serbia. “Montenegro is conducting a hybrid war against Serbia,” he said, adding that certain actors were either participating in or deliberately ignoring these efforts.
Montenegro’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly rejected the allegations as “unfounded and inappropriate.” In a strongly worded statement, the ministry declared: “The saying ‘No one insults you like the one who is insulting’ perhaps best illustrates the absurdity of the claim that Montenegro is waging a hybrid war against anyone.” It further suggested the accusations might be “an introduction to new campaigns of disinformation and political pressure or an attempt to divert attention from problems that have nothing to do with Montenegro.”
The timing of the dispute has added to the tension. Today, Ukraine and Moldova formally opened accession negotiations with the European Union in Luxembourg, while Montenegro – widely seen as the frontrunner in the Western Balkans – provisionally closed two additional negotiation chapters (Chapter 2 on free movement of workers and Chapter 28 on consumer and health protection). Serbia, by contrast, has made little visible progress, if any, on its own EU track in recent months.
Montenegro’s statement went further, framing Serbian remarks as resistance to the sovereign choices of its neighbours. “These statements reveal the unwillingness of certain political structures to accept the basic reality that they are surrounded by sovereign, internationally recognised and equal states,” it said.
The Montenegrin ministry also rejected any suggestion that Podgorica had territorial ambitions, insisting it sought “the best possible relations with all neighbours, including Serbia,” based on “mutual respect, equality and acceptance of reality.”
Serbia pushed back firmly. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Montenegro’s response as “confirmation of the thesis of hybrid actions aimed at influencing Serbia’s political life.” Belgrade called for issues to be resolved through “institutional dialogue and diplomatic channels” rather than public confrontation, while stressing it harbours “no territorial pretensions” toward Montenegro.
Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dačić went further, labelling Montenegro’s statement “the height of hypocrisy” and questioning the logic of hostility between two nations with such close cultural and familial ties.
Deeper historical and political context
The exchange revives longstanding sensitivities rooted in Montenegro’s 2006 declaration of independence after a short-lived union with Serbia from the period of the Yugoslav decomposition. While many citizens maintain strong cross-border family and cultural links, political paths have diverged sharply: Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 – a move viewed sceptically in Belgrade – and is now accelerating its EU integration, with a stated goal of full membership by 2028.
Analysts note that such public spats frequently intensify ahead of elections or major EU milestones, as political leaders seek to mobilise domestic support. The latest incident also follows Montenegro’s decision on 4 June to deny entry to 87 Serbian nationals arriving from Belgrade ahead of an EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, citing security concerns.
Despite the heated rhetoric, economic interdependence remains high. Trade continues, families cross the border freely, and both countries face shared challenges including youth emigration and the need for economic reforms. Montenegro’s latest statement concluded by urging the region to focus on “reforms, economic growth and European integration rather than tensions that obscure internal shortcomings.”
Montenegro is not the only former Yugoslav republic that Serbia seeks to slow down on its EU path: North Macedonia’s current leadership, which maintains close alignment with Belgrade, has followed a policy that has effectively frozen Skopje’s accession talks for years.
Sources: Partner media Antena-M, BETA, BGNES
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Caption: European Council President Antonio Costa (R), Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic (L) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (C) arrive for the press conference following the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro, 5 June 2026. The high-level one-day summit brings together European Union (EU) leaders and their Western Balkan counterparts to discuss concrete integration measures and accelerate the region’s path toward bloc membership. EPA/BORIS PEJOVIC
Updated: June 15, 2026 - 13:53
