KEY POINTS
- Serbia secures natural gas supply from Russia for the winter.
- Vucic reaffirms close ties with Russia despite EU pressure.
- Energy security remains a priority as 2025 gas deal end nears.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was appreciated by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic for assisting Serbia in obtaining enough natural gas for the winter.
On the 80th anniversary of Belgrade’s liberation from fascism, the two presidents held their first bilateral talks in almost two and a half years.
Gas supply agreement in place until 2025
The current three-year natural gas supply agreement between Russia and Serbia is scheduled to end in March 2025. Vucic underlined how crucial it is for Serbia to secure its energy resources, particularly as the nation prepares for a hard winter.
He emphasized the vital role that Russia plays in supplying natural gas, which is essential to Serbia’s energy stability in the winter.
“We have had a long, good, open, and meaningful conversation,” Vucic stated in a social media video. He helped us obtain enough natural gas supplies from Russia to Serbia this winter, and for that I was particularly grateful.
The discussion emphasizes Serbia and Russia’s deep ties, which have endured despite changes in the world’s geopolitics.
Serbia’s balancing act between Russia and the EU
Serbia is attempting to join the European Union despite its strong historical links to Russia. The Serbian government is under pressure to conform to EU policies more closely as a result of this delicate balancing act, especially with regard to sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
According to Reuters, despite this pressure, Vucic reiterated that Serbia has no plans to impose sanctions on Russia, maintaining its neutral stance in the ongoing conflict.
Vucic’s choice to keep working with Russia is a component of his larger plan to guarantee Serbia’s energy security. Particularly in the winter, the nation’s reliance on Russian gas is essential to preserving domestic energy costs and economic stability.
Future of Serbia-Russia relations
Securing energy supply continues to be a primary priority for Vucic’s government as Serbia manages its relations with both Russia and the West.
In addition to reaffirming their close bilateral relations, the Serbian president’s phone conversation with Putin brought attention to Serbia’s future reliance on Russian energy supplies.
The Serbian administration is probably going to stick with its existing non-alignment stance and keep looking for advantages on both sides. But as the 2025 gas supply contract draws to a close, the nation might feel more pressure to decide between preserving its ties with Russia and further EU integration.
