Vucic: I am the only one who did not sign declaration at Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit

KYIV - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday he was the only participant of a Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit in Kyiv who had not signed a declaration adopted at the summit earlier in the day.

"I am the only one who did not put his signature on that declaration. Look at the text of that declaration," Vucic told reporters when asked if he had signed the document.

"It will be clearer to you - I do not have to give any further explanations," he added.

Asked about Serbia's stance on the sanctions on Russia, Vucic responded that everyone was familiar with Serbia's position.

"Everyone knows our position, and I know all their positions," he said.

He said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were fair and knew what Serbia's policy was, but noted that there were also those who, hinting at Serbia, began their speeches by saying that, "unlike some others", they were 100 per cent aligned with the EU policy.

"And they each repeat that about ten times, but we have already become accustomed to that, it is nothing new," Vucic said.

He also said he had had three important meetings - with Zelenskyy, Romanian President Nicusor Dan and Slovenian PM Janez Jansa - as well as a brief discussion with von der Leyen.

Vucic, von der Leyen discuss Serbia's EU path

KYIV - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of a Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit in Kyiv on Wednesday to discuss Serbia's EU path and the next steps in the EU integration process.

In a post on his buducnostsrbijeav account, Vucic wrote that he had thanked von der Leyen for supporting Serbia.

"I thanked her for her personal engagement and for the support she is providing to Serbia on its European path, and I expressed the confidence that, through open dialogue and a responsible approach, we will continue to advance the cooperation with the European Union," Vucic posted.

Vucic meets with Zelenskyy

KYIV - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday that, at a meeting in Kyiv earlier in the day, he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had expressed gratitude to each other for the mutual support for their countries' territorial integrity and also discussed other important topics, and added that he had invited Zelenskyy to visit Belgrade.

Speaking to reporters after the fifth Southeast Europe-Ukraine summit in Kyiv, Vucic said that, besides connectivity, he had discussed railways with Zelenskyy.

"You have seen that there is much to be learned from the way they (Ukraine) have been developing their railways," he added.
He said they had also discussed the mutual support on the EU path, as well as further bilateral cooperation, growth of bilateral trade and ways to boost economic cooperation.

Vucic expressed the hope Belgrade would host the Ukrainian president in the foreseeable future.