Vučić: Russia is a Nuclear Power, Cannot Be Defeated
In an interview, the Serbian president offers alarming forecasts about the global conflict, claims Putin wants control over Donbas, and advocates a compromise solution for Ukraine.
In an interview, the Serbian president offers alarming forecasts about the global conflict, claims Putin wants control over Donbas, and advocates a compromise solution for Ukraine.
In an interview published on Monday, August 10, 2026, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić presented a series of dramatic assessments about the war in Ukraine and global security, emphasizing that the world is on the brink of a much broader conflict and that Russia, as a nuclear power, cannot be militarily defeated.
Vučić believes that Russian leader Vladimir Putin aims to establish full control over the Donbas region, after which he might be ready to end the war, according to Military Summary.
Vučić particularly stressed the nuclear dimension of the conflict, which, in his view, fundamentally changes the calculus. "I don't know how you can defeat Russia because I believe that won't happen easily. After all, Russia is a nuclear power, and no one can easily attack it," Vučić said in an interview reported by Clash Report. He added: "We need a compromise solution, not the defeat of either side."
In a statement reported by Military Summary, Vučić was even more direct: "I don't know how Russia can be defeated." His words reflect a conviction that a military victory over Moscow is not a realistic scenario and that only negotiations can bring an end to the war.
According to the interview preview by Dnevnik.hr, Vučić accused the West of double standards, suggesting that the international community does not apply the same standards to all actors in global conflicts. The Serbian president has long been balancing between traditionally close ties with Moscow and increasing Western pressure to take a clearer stance on the war in Ukraine.