Serbia further away from Europe: New government strengthens relations with the East, Russia and China

With the formation of the new government, Serbia is increasingly openly demonstrating a turn to the East by intensifying its relations with Russia and China.

In recent days, several meetings between high-ranking Serbian politicians and representatives of Moscow and Beijing have indicated that Serbia is turning further away from European integration and moving closer to authoritarian powers.

Patriarch Porfiry’s visit to Moscow at a time when Russia is internationally isolated due to its aggression against Ukraine signals not only religious but also political solidarity. With this visit, the Serbian Orthodox Church, as one of the main pillars of society, is sending a signal for a long-term orientation of society in line with Russian interests.

With this visit, Serbia has sent a clear message that it remains a loyal ally of the Kremlin, despite the possible consequences for its European future.

At the same time, Serbia’s new Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met with Aleksandar Bocan-Kharchenko, a prominent Russian diplomat and long-time Kremlin player in the Balkans.

During the meeting, Djuric reiterated Serbia’s “gratitude to the Russian Federation for its principled stance on the protection of Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and emphasized the “strong support” Serbia has been receiving for years in the fight against Kosovo’s independence.

Serbia’s new Prime Minister Djuro Macut reaffirmed the eastward orientation through a meeting with the Chinese ambassador in Belgrade, Li Ming. According to Serbian media, during the meeting Macut emphasized the “common future and strategic partnership” with China and praised the “steel friendship”, which he said should bring stability to the Western Balkans.

This is further evidence of Serbia’s increasingly strong ties with China, a state that is openly using its economic influence to strengthen its political control.

The announced meeting between Aleksandar Vučić and Vladimir Putin on May 9 in Moscow further reinforces the impression of Serbia’s new foreign policy course.

The meeting takes place on Victory Day, an event that the Kremlin uses to propagate its power and historical narrative, which is often at odds with European values.

All these activities point to a clear re-dimensioning of Serbia’s foreign policy priorities. Instead of moving closer to the European Union, the new Serbian government is showing a willingness to intensify its strategic relations with Russia and China.

In the long term, such a policy will lead to Serbia becoming increasingly isolated from the West and European integration processes.

/The Geopost/