Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on Thursday that Serbia had successfully defended its stance on the territorial integrity of Kosovo and Metohija within UNESCO, following “intensive diplomatic efforts.”
“It was very difficult for us to defend our position within UNESCO, but we succeeded through extensive diplomatic activity,” Vučić told reporters in Samarkand, where he attended the opening of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference.
“We preserved not only our national position but also the principles of international law. All UN-recognized member states are represented here, and our southern province remains part of Serbia — which is good news,” Vučić said.
The Serbian leader noted that UNESCO remains crucial for Serbia, particularly regarding the protection of cultural heritage in Kosovo and the defense of the country’s territorial integrity, which has faced repeated challenges from Pristina’s attempts to gain membership.
Vučić: Trump and Xi Are the Only Equals in Global Politics
Commenting on global affairs, Vučić described the recent meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping as “a conversation between the only two equal partners in the world.”
“President Trump does not speak with President Xi as he does with anyone else — they are the only equals globally, economically, militarily, and politically,” Vučić said.
He welcomed what he called “rational and reasonable” decisions from the Trump–Xi meeting and said their dialogue was important for global stability.
Vučić added that he expected China’s greater involvement in addressing the war in Ukraine, noting: “Without China, it is impossible to reach any major agreement.”
Vučić Announces Slovak President’s Visit to Serbia
Vučić also said he expects Slovak President Peter Pellegrini to visit Serbia before the end of the year.
Speaking after meetings with several officials, including the UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Vučić said Serbia and Slovakia were working to strengthen bilateral relations and discussed Serbia’s European integration process.
He congratulated Uzbekistan for hosting the UNESCO conference, the first ever held outside Paris.
Vučić on Lukoil Sale: ‘We Are Satisfied if Issues Are Resolved’
Commenting on reports about the sale of Lukoil’s assets, Vučić said Serbia welcomed any solution that would stabilize the company’s operations in the country.
“Lukoil owns a large number of retail stations in Serbia and imports around 100,000 tonnes of oil derivatives. If this resolves certain issues, we are satisfied,” he said, adding that the government still faces “a bigger challenge” concerning the NIS oil refinery.
Vučić: Syrian Recognition of Kosovo Was Expected Under Turkish Influence
Vučić said it was expected that Syria’s new government would recognize Kosovo’s independence, claiming the decision reflected Turkish influence.
“It’s the same pattern we saw earlier — it’s the recognizable handwriting from Antalya,” Vučić said, referring to previous diplomatic moves linked to Turkey.
He added that the stance contrasted with what he described as the “independent and sovereign” approach of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“In Syria, as elsewhere, when a government comes under strong external influence, such decisions become predictable,” Vučić said.