Zelensky visits Serbia amid balancing act over Russia ties and EU hopes

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Serbia, marking the first time since 2018 that a Ukrainian head of state has made an official visit. The visit raised key questions about Kyiv’s aims in deepening ties with Serbia, which remains one of the few European countries that has not sanctioned Russia, alongside Turkey and Belarus. Serbia remains heavily dependent on Moscow for energy supplies.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. At a joint press conference, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that no military cooperation was discussed during the visit, though he indicated that the post-war situation could be addressed in the future. Vucic’s broader diplomatic strategy appears to involve balancing relations between East and West, seeking to advance Serbia’s stalled EU accession negotiations while maintaining traditional ties with Russia.

Serbian political analyst Aleksandar Djokic told the Kyiv Independent that Zelensky’s visit is perceived as a diplomatic setback for Russia due to Serbia’s close association with Moscow, while for Vucic it signals alignment with European policy towards Ukraine, without fully severing Russian ties. Both leaders reaffirmed mutual respect for their countries’ territorial integrity, though Zelensky’s remarks drew criticism from Kosovo and Albania and elicited mixed reactions within Ukraine itself.

Known from the source

• Zelensky visited Serbia, the first Ukrainian presidential visit since 2018.
• Serbia has not imposed sanctions on Russia and is dependent on Moscow for energy supplies.
• At a joint press conference, Vucic said no military cooperation was discussed with Ukraine.
• Both leaders reaffirmed respect for each other’s territorial integrity.
• Serbia announced plans to open a drone factory with Israeli partner Elbit Systems in September, producing attack drones likely the Lanius-X.

What remains unclear

A notable announcement during the visit was Serbia’s plan to open a drone factory in partnership with Israeli defense company Elbit Systems in September. The drone factory will be the first of its kind in Serbia and aims to produce advanced attack drones, likely the Lanius-X. Although Kyiv Independent could not independently verify details of the joint venture or investment size, this development may open a potential new chapter in technical cooperation, despite no formal Serbia-Ukraine defense deals being announced.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of the drone factory’s registration and ownership structure in Serbia’s company register. Independent confirmation of the drone models to be produced and the factory’s investment scale. Clarification on any formal Serbia-Ukraine defense cooperation agreements linked to the drone project.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.