“There are many who, ahead of the elections, are expecting support from the Russian Federation and are trying in any way to say the worst things about us,” Vučić said. “There is no talk of that, nor will such a decision be made. Even if they were to make it, it would be immediately revoked.”
Belgrade’s close relations with Moscow are increasingly complicating its ambitions to join the EU.
Serbia became an official EU candidate in 2012 and opened accession talks in 2014, but its membership bid has since stalled. In April, Brussels said Serbia risked losing up to €1.5 billion in EU funding due to concerns over democratic backsliding and its ties to Moscow.
In May, Brnabić complained that the EU had changed its rules on enlargement since the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
