Serbia-Ukraine Finalize Free Trade Deal and Aid Pact

Serbia and Ukraine have locked in a new push for tighter economic bonds, setting their sights on wrapping up a free trade deal that has sat unfinished for too long. Belgrade is stepping up with promises to help repair war-torn Ukrainian cities while pouring in aid as the two nations move forward together. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hosted his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Belgrade to seal these commitments on the last day of a two-day visit that ended Saturday. This marks Zelenskyy's first trip to Serbia since he took office back in 2019, though the pair has met several times before, most recently in Kyiv on July 15.

At a joint news conference, Vucic made it clear that Serbia backs Ukraine's quest to join the European Union and stands by its territorial integrity, even regarding lands seized by Russia since 2014. Yet, Belgrade has drawn a hard line elsewhere: refusing to slap sanctions on Moscow, a longtime ally. Meanwhile, Ukraine remains in a tricky spot because it does not recognize Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, a move Serbia views as illegal since the region is considered part of its own territory.

"You have never heard a single bad word about our country, neither from Volodymyr Zelenskyy nor anyone else [in Ukraine], and I am extremely grateful to our Ukrainian friends for that," Vucic told reporters at the podium. "Our cooperation is expanding and will become much bigger." He added that Serbia would play a direct role in rebuilding cities battered by Russia's invasion.

The free trade agreement has hung in limbo for more than two decades, with both sides now aiming to finish it before year's end. This deal matters immensely for Serbia's bid to join the World Trade Organization and acts as a mandatory step toward EU membership. Ukraine held off on signing since 2005 because of disputes over quotas and tariffs hitting its agricultural sector. Both leaders pointed to this progress as proof that their economic ties are strengthening, alongside Serbian pledges to send humanitarian aid and infrastructure support through this coming winter.

Zelenskyy noted they had talked about joint infrastructure projects and energy and food security plans ahead of the cold season. "Virtually not a single thermal power plant remains intact" in Ukraine because of Russian strikes, he said. Attacks have also wrecked railway stations, hospitals, universities, and civilian businesses. He thanked Serbia for preparing a fresh humanitarian aid package focused heavily on medical and energy needs.

"We are developing all formats of cooperation which can give our people … more resilience," Zelenskyy stated. In a post on X shared Saturday, he mentioned discussing economic and logistics projects with Serbian Prime Minister Duško Marković, specifically the Danube Corridor and tighter links between Ukraine, the Western Balkans, and the EU. He also thanked Serbia for promising 2 million euros ($2.3m) to bolster Ukraine's energy sector. The two countries additionally signed a memorandum on animal health and food safety, reports the Kyiv Post.

Dragan Glamocic, Serbia's Agriculture Minister, put his signature on a deal alongside Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Ukraine's ambassador to Belgrade. The move highlights the tightrope Vucic walks between EU dreams and Moscow ties. He openly questioned whether either nation could join the bloc quickly. "I wish Ukraine every success, but this is not just a merit-based process," he stated, pointing out that Europe hasn't welcomed a new member since Croatia in 2013. He added a stark warning about the coming season. "I'm very afraid that we're in for a very difficult winter – especially for Ukrainians," Vucic said, per the Kyiv Post.

Belgrade officially condemned Russia's 2022 invasion and backs Ukraine's right to keep its land. Yet it has refused Western sanctions against Moscow and still relies on Russian gas for most of its supply. At the same time, Serbia is trying to cut military dependence on Russia. It signed a pact to swap aging Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets for French Rafale aircraft. The Kremlin keeps accusing Belgrade of selling ammo that ends up in Ukraine via middlemen. Vucic denied supplying weapons to Kyiv but insisted his country sells munitions to buyers globally. When asked about joint military action, Vucic and Zelenskyy said cooperation was off the table during this visit.