European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday they remain fully committed to seeing “a democratic Serbia” join the European Union after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Brussels.
In a joint statement posted on X, the two EU leaders said they discussed the need for Serbia to accelerate reforms, particularly in the rule of law and media freedom.
“We underlined that enlargement is a geostrategic imperative, as well as the need for Serbia to further align with the EU’s foreign and security policy. We also welcomed Serbia’s steps to diversify its energy supplies and reduce dependence on Russia, whose unreliability has been shown repeatedly,” they wrote.
The meeting was held over a working dinner hosted by von der Leyen. The two said they were pleased to review Serbia’s progress on its EU path. “Europe has consistently shown solidarity with Serbia through major investments in energy infrastructure and support for vulnerable households. We remain fully committed to seeing a democratic Serbia in the EU. You can count on our support,” they added.
Vučić said after the dinner that he was “sincerely satisfied with the course, manner and tone of the talks, especially on the energy situation”.
He said the discussions covered options for importing oil derivatives from Romania, Bulgaria and other neighbouring states, as well as plans for new gas and oil pipelines. “I am less worried about gas than I am about oil. We looked for solutions and I believe we will have EU support in these important matters,” he told Serbian media.
Vučić also said he presented a proposal for all Western Balkan countries to enter the EU together. “They listened politely but did not comment,” he said.