The Serbian president appeared on the 'MD MEETS' podcast with Mathias Döpfner, where he discussed the war in Ukraine, relations with the EU and Kosovo, and announced the imminent production of sophisticated drones in Serbia.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić warned on Saturday, August 9, 2026, that the world is at the beginning of a much bigger war. In the "MD MEETS" podcast with Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, he offered pessimistic forecasts about an early end to the conflict in Ukraine and advocated for a compromise solution.
Asked whether the world is on the threshold of a significantly larger conflict or "a war between Europe and autocrats like Russia," Vučić replied: "I believe we are at the beginning of a bigger war. And that's why I had hoped that someone had done something in the meantime to bring peace. That hasn't happened, and it won't happen soon, which means we are on the edge of a much, much bigger war." He added that he hates to say it, but he doesn't see an end to the conflict before next spring.
He believes that ending the war requires one side to become strong enough and, in some way, victorious. "Otherwise, given the current stalemate, I don't see the possibility for compromise solutions," he said. According to him, no one currently wants peace; instead, everyone wishes for the defeat of the other side.
Vučić urged not to wait for the complete exhaustion of Russian forces and warned that Russia, as a nuclear power, cannot be easily defeated. "I wouldn't wait for the complete exhaustion of Russian troops. I don't know how to defeat Russia," he said. "We need a compromise solution, not the defeat of any side," he emphasized.
When the host mentioned Russia's threats to Europe, Vučić countered with a question, suggesting that the West is also waging its own form of war: "You armed Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia. At the same time, you financially supported Ukraine-what is that, if not a hybrid war against Russia?" At the same time, he agreed that victim and aggressor should not be confused and that Ukraine did not start the war. He also shared his view of Putin's goals: "I believe Putin wants to take control of the entire Donbas area and would then be ready to end the war."
Reflecting on global dynamics, Vučić singled out key players. "On one side, you have two great powers, the US and China. There is also a third pillar, which is or at least should be the EU. I'm not sure whether Europe will manage to assert itself as that third pillar, although I hope it will. As a fourth factor, there are Russia, India, and other vast continental or regional powers," he said. He predicted that in the next five years, "we will still be in the process of 'defining ourselves by more destructive means' than is the case today," adding that digital footprints will allow for an assessment of his words in six years.
Commenting on Serbia's path to the European Union, Vučić said he is realistic and skeptical. He recalled a meeting held three or four months ago with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron. He told them he supports the European path but is disappointed because a key obligation from the 2013 Brussels Agreement-the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities in Kosovo-has never been fulfilled.
He also highlighted the problem of double standards, recalling NATO's intervention against Serbia. "Why did you take 14 percent of Serbia's territory that was under the guarantee of the UN Charter and UN resolutions? And that happened immediately after the aggression against the Republic of Serbia carried out by 19 NATO countries, without the permission of the UN Security Council," Vučić asked, calling it the opening of Pandora's box.
Commenting on the recent visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Belgrade-the first since Vučić took office in 2019-which some have called a betrayal of the partnership with Russia, Vučić was explicit: "I'm not here to please Russians, Ukrainians, or anyone else, except Serbs." He stressed that the meeting was a pragmatic move aimed at bilateral cooperation, adding that he had not discussed Zelensky's visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin because he doesn't announce his political agenda to anyone. "Serbia is nobody's puppet. We are an independent country, and we will remain so in the future," he said.
Speaking about his relationship with Putin, he said they have spoken "21 or 22 times" over the years and have had mutual respect. He described him as an intelligent and strong man, and he also recalled the traditional ties between Serbia and Russia, including the joint celebration of Victory Day on May 9. He also touched on the content of his talks with Zelensky, noting that the topics included a bilateral free trade agreement, humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and joint infrastructure projects and cooperation in energy and food security ahead of winter. After the meeting, Zelensky stated: "We are developing all forms of cooperation that can give our people (...) greater resilience."
He also revealed that he did not discuss joint drone production with Zelensky, but confirmed that Serbia is building a drone factory with the Israelis. "That facility will be opened by the end of September. I believe these are quite sophisticated drones that until now were produced only by the Israelis, and now these drones will be produced in Serbia," Vučić said.
