Zelensky Makes First Visit to Serbia with Vučić

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived on Thursday, August 7, 2026, for his first official visit to Serbia. He landed at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport shortly before 6 PM, where he was greeted by Serbia's Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović, with a red carpet and the Serbian Armed Forces Guard on parade.

This is Zelensky's first visit to Serbia since he took office as President of Ukraine in 2019 and the first since the start of Russia's invasion of the country in 2022.

Talks with Vučić and Macut

Zelensky confirmed on his official Telegram channel that important negotiations are planned for Thursday and Friday, August 8. "I have arrived in Serbia with my team. Important talks are planned for today and tomorrow - with President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut," Zelensky wrote.

The Ukrainian president announced that the main topics will be expanding economic ties between the two countries, relations with the European Union, and security issues. "We will discuss expanding economic ties between our countries, relations with the European Union, and other matters that can benefit our peoples, as well as security issues. Ukraine is always ready to work constructively, for mutual benefit and with mutual respect," Zelensky said via Telegram.

Security Context of the Visit

The visit comes at a time when Ukraine continues to suffer Russian attacks. Just a day earlier, on Wednesday, August 6, Zelensky highlighted on Twitter that stopping Russian strikes is "challenge number one." "The United States knows exactly what we need and that it is not something abstract. It is about protecting lives. These are real people, individual lives. Air defense support is needed, and that requires political decisions. In Europe too. And in G7 countries," Zelensky wrote then.

This visit represents a significant diplomatic step given Serbia's historically close ties with Russia and its position outside European Union sanctions against Moscow.