BELGRADE — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday called on Serbia to “get concrete” about its ambitions to join the European Union, urging President Aleksandar Vučić’s government to advance reforms, uphold democratic values, and align with EU sanctions against Russiam, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
“We need to see greater alignment in our foreign policy, including on sanctions against Russia,” von der Leyen said at a joint press conference with Vučić in Belgrade, emphasizing that full EU membership demands tangible progress on rule of law, media freedom, and electoral integrity.
Serbia’s path to Brussels has long been complicated by Vučić’s balancing act between the EU and his country’s enduring ties with Moscow and Beijing. China’s investments in Serbian mines and Russia’s deep-rooted energy presence have given Belgrade both leverage and constraints.
The Commission chief acknowledged that reforms take “patience and endurance,” but urged Serbia to adopt an inclusive approach and “lay the foundations for a more stable and peaceful society.”
The appeal comes amid months of anti-government protests, sparked by a fatal railway station roof collapse that ignited anger over corruption and calls for early elections.
U.S. sanctions on Russia have also rippled through Serbia’s economy, striking its largest oil company earlier this month. With Serbia’s gas contract with Moscow set to expire at year’s end, von der Leyen pointed to the EU’s support for nations hit hardest by the Ukraine war.
“The war had a devastating impact across our entire continent,” she said. “But we faced it together — and extended the same solidarity to our Western Balkan partners as to our own member states.”
