Vucic: I am conducting policy of military neutrality, which I have promised to people

PARIS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday he was conducting a policy he had promised to his people, a policy of military neutrality, and that he wanted to preserve peace and stability in Serbia.

Vucic was speaking to reporters in Paris after attending France's Bastille Day military parade.

Asked to comment on reports by Serbia's pro-opposition media outlets that the fact he had not been a part of Monday's group photo of all officials who had been in Paris allegedly showed he was isolated, Vucic responded that he had not attended a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing as he had not agreed to Serbia becoming a part of it.

"If I had, I would have probably been standing next to (French President Emmanuel) Macron and (UK PM Keir) Starmer, who established that (the coalition), next to (German Chancellor Friedrich) Merz, and I guess that would have been the most important photo for them to show," Vucic added.

He noted that he was conducting a policy he had promised to his people, a policy of military neutrality, and that he did not want to drag Serbia into conflicts.

"I want to preserve peace in Serbia, I want to preserve stability," he said.

Serbia wants to be militarily neutral, Vucic said, noting that, if he wanted Serbia to become a part of NATO, the country would be admitted to the alliance immediately.

Vucic: Strategic dialogue with US major impetus for Serbia, step forward in bilateral relations

PARIS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday the announced start of strategic dialogue with the US was an important impetus for Serbia and a step forward in the relations between the two countries.

Responding to questions from reporters in Paris, where he attended France's Bastille Day military parade, Vucic said the launch of strategic dialogue would be a very important step forward in Serbia-US relations and that energy issues would be crucial as well.

"I think the FM will go to Washington on Friday and launch the strategic dialogue with Mr (Christopher) Landau, deputy to (US State Secretary) Marco Rubio. There are many important and not always easy and simple issues for us there, so people should not think it is a walk in the park, but this is a very important incentive for us, a major impetus that reflects some changes that have taken place in the world, that are taking place not only on the global scene, not only on the geopolitical scene, but also in the region," Vucic said.

Serbian FM Marko Djuric said earlier in the day Washington had decided to launch strategic dialogue between the US and Serbia and that the first session of the dialogue was scheduled for Friday, July 17.

Vucic: I am going to Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit

PARIS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday he would be attending a Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"Of course, it is good to cooperate. To date, I have attended four gatherings - in Odessa, Dubrovnik, Athens and Tirana. But this time will not be simple either, in view of the proposed declaration and everything else," Vucic told reporters in Paris after attending France's Bastille Day military parade.

He added that he was also due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.