On Thursday, France’s President Emmanuel Macron paid a visit to Belgrade to boost ties with Serbia and encourage it to align with the European Union, as Serbia attempts to strike a balance between the EU, Russia, and China. During his two-day visit, Macron met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss a variety of issues, including the purchase of France’s Rafale fighter jets, energy cooperation, and advances in AI.
This is Macron’s second meeting with Vucic this year, following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Belgrade in May, highlighting Serbia’s key location on the EU’s outskirts. In an op-ed in Serbia’s Politika daily, Macron emphasised that Serbia’s independence could be secured “only under the auspices of the EU,” dismissing the idea of Serbia navigating its course between the global powers.
While the EU is Serbia’s largest investor, the country has been unwilling to impose sanctions on Russia, despite cutting military cooperation following the invasion of Ukraine. Serbia’s military uses Soviet technology but also incorporates Western equipment, such as France’s Mistral missiles. Serbia strives to diversify its energy sources, although it remains highly reliant on Russian gas.
Vucic noted ongoing negotiations with Macron about future energy and AI cooperation and prospective bilateral agreements.
