Zelenskyy's Belgrade visit highlights Serbia's diplomatic balancing act

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official visit to Belgrade has drawn widespread analysis across regional and international media over Serbia's foreign policy trajectory.

Observers in the region largely interpret the meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić as a continuation of Belgrade’s established diplomatic balancing strategy rather than a sharp pivot away from Moscow. The bilateral agenda encompassed European integration, bilateral trade, and energy cooperation, alongside defense production interests.

However, commentators note significant domestic political tension within Serbia, where right-wing factions and pro-European circles view the engagement with contrasting expectations. Meanwhile, foreign policy analysts caution against interpreting high-profile handshakes as a definitive strategic realignment, stressing that long-term policy follow-through remains to be seen. Russian media, in contrast, have portrayed the summit as an effort to secure Western political backing ahead of domestic elections.

Sources: Beta, Danas, HRT Vijesti, Klix, N1