Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a formal dinner in Ankara on Thursday for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian delegation, as the two leaders pledged to deepen political and economic ties and maintain regional stability.
A traditional Serbian song, “Tamo daleko,” was performed during the dinner, according to video released by Serbian officials. Vucic later thanked Erdogan for what he described as “exceptional hospitality” and said he expected the Turkish leader to visit Belgrade in the coming months.
“I believe that today we have returned relations between Turkey and Serbia to the best path of cooperation that we have built over the years,” Vucic told reporters in Ankara after bilateral talks. He said discussions covered political, economic and regional security issues.
Trade and economic cooperation
Vucic said Serbia aims to increase annual trade with Turkey to 5 billion euros and highlighted the importance of ratifying the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) convention, which he said would benefit Serbia’s automotive sector, including the Stellantis plant in the central city of Kragujevac.
Turkey is one of Serbia’s significant trading partners, with Turkish companies investing in infrastructure, textiles and manufacturing in recent years.
Both leaders issued a joint statement committing to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, Vucic said, adding that several agreements could be signed during Erdogan’s expected two-day visit to Serbia within the next three to four months.
Concerns over regional military cooperation
During the visit, Vucic also commented on military cooperation between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, describing any formalized alliance as a potential threat to Serbia.
“Every military alliance is directed against someone,” he said, adding that Serbia had not received what he called a “rational explanation” for closer defense coordination among the three.
Croatia and Albania are members of NATO, while Kosovo is not recognized as an independent state by Belgrade. Vucic reiterated that Serbia would remain militarily neutral but continue to strengthen its armed forces as a deterrent.
“We will not attack anyone, but we are building our capabilities seriously and responsibly to deter any potential aggression,” he said.
Munich conference and wider geopolitical rifts
Vucic said he would travel next to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference, where he expects to meet European and other global leaders.
He predicted that divisions between Europe and the United States could become more visible at the conference, arguing that geopolitical differences exposed at the World Economic Forum in Davos may deepen further.
“Substantively, I think that divide will be deeper and wider,” Vucic said, adding that Serbia would seek to position itself carefully amid shifting global dynamics.
After Munich, Vucic is scheduled to visit India and Kazakhstan as part of what he described as an intensive diplomatic agenda in the coming weeks.