Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić arrived in the Ukrainian city of Odessa today for a regional summit. This is his first visit to Ukraine in 12 years in power.
Vučić's office announced that the visit will last one day and that the goal is to participate in the Ukraine - Southeast Europe summit being held in the Black Sea port of Odessa, which was the target of a major Russian drone and missile attack this week.
High-ranking officials from 12 Southeast European countries were expected at the summit.
This visit comes at a time when relations between Serbia and Russia are further strained due to accusations that the Serbian military industry is indirectly supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Vučić said at the summit that Serbia could help Kiev rebuild war-torn areas of Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Serbia aspires to membership in the European Union, but Russia remains its main gas supplier and the majority owner of Serbia's only oil refinery.
Reuters recalls that Belgrade refused to join Western sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, but at the United Nations it condemned Russia's moves and supported Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Vučić has previously met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at least three times.
Official Belgrade recognizes the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including the territories occupied by Russia since 2014, while Kiev has never recognized Kosovo's independence.
In late May, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Serbia of “trying to shoot Russia in the back,” claiming that Serbian arms manufacturers were supplying ammunition and weapons to Ukraine through intermediaries.
Reuters states that before Vučić, the only Serbian president to visit Ukraine since Serbia became independent in 2006 was Boris Tadić in 2011. On the other hand, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited Serbia in 2018.
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