Vucic: Macron and I discussed cooperation, he might come to Belgrade soon

PARIS - Speaking to reporters after Thursday's working dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said they had discussed all strategic issues of bilateral cooperation.

Vucic announced a commercial agreement with the French company Alstom to build the first line of a Belgrade metro system would be signed by December 15.

"We are finishing, or starting to finalise, that work so that we can have the first metro line in two and a half years," Vucic said.

He said he was very pleased to have had an opportunity to speak with the French president for three hours, and noted that Macron was one of the most important world leaders and that they had discussed Serbia's positions on various issues,

"We discussed strategic matters and what is ahead of us in the period to come. It will take some time for me to analyse everything and go through my notes. But, of course, we spoke about Serbia's EU path. I believe we can do much over the next year. It is up to us, too, but I believe the sentiment in the EU will enable Serbia to make that progress. We discussed all bilateral affairs," Vucic said.

He noted that, for the first time ever, Serbia's bilateral trade with France would exceed 2 bln euros this year.

"We discussed everything - joint investments, investments in Serbia, we discussed cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence," Vucic added.

He said they had also discussed geopolitics and all developments in Europe and globally.

Vucic said Macron might visit Belgrade soon.

"We might see him in Belgrade very soon. So, I had a really good, excellent discussion, I am proud of Serbia," he said.

Vucic said the meeting with Macron had also addressed development of nuclear energy in Serbia as it was "the only type of energy that can save us in the future, since we will run out of coal in 15 years."

He said he had informed Macron of the current situation with Serbia's Russian majority-owned oil company NIS - which is under US sanctions - and added that a Serbian delegation would meet with US representatives on Friday to discuss the issue.

Vucic said he and Macron had also discussed the situation in Ukraine and ways to achieve peace.

"We did not speak about any ammunition whatsoever, we spoke about peace and when and how peace can be achieved, which gives me great hope," Vucic said.