Vucic, de Montbrial discuss current global affairs

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the founder and executive chairman of the French Institute of International Relations Thierry de Montbrial in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss current global affairs.

"A great privilege for me, and an exceptional meeting with Thierry de Montbrial, one of the most influential connoisseurs of international relations and opinion creators in the highest circles of politicology and philosophy," Vucic posted on Instagram.

He added that he had taken the rare opportunity to discuss today's key global affairs with a man of vast experience and enormous knowledge.

"We exchanged views on numerous topics, from the fragmentation of the world following an attempt of unification to the future of globalisation and Europe's place in a polarised world, as well as the role of individuals and states in the world order that is emerging right now. I especially highlighted the difficult and challenging position of Serbia in the context of tectonic geopolitical disturbances that spill over into small countries easily," Vucic noted.

He added that he had listened to de Montbrial attentively to better assess the causes and the consequences of a new rise of old powers, changes in the struggle for global supremacy, as well as needs for reforms within international organisations whose influence was declining.

"In that context, we also discussed the stagnation and inertia of obsolete mechanisms of diplomacy and its new role in the creation of a future order. I learned a lot, grateful to Thierry de Montbrial for the useful insights into the complex frameworks within which today's political thought moves, burdened by a lack of ideology and a clear strategy," Vucic posted.

He added that he had reiterated that, in spite of all difficulties on its path, Serbia would remain consistent with the principles of law and justice in a world where those principles were forgotten, as that was the only anchor and support for any long-term strategy and the only right path.