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Serbian officials reaffirm closeness to Russia, while analysts warn of impact on European integration process
Russian Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, paid a visit to Belgrade, a day after the United States warned about Russia's role in destabilizing the Western Balkans. During the visit, Minister without Portfolio in the Serbian Government, Nenad Popovic, declared that "Serbia will stand by Russia," Radio Free Europe (REL) reported.
Reshetnikov, who is under sanctions from the European Union and the United States, announced that a meeting of the Joint Committee for Cooperation between Russia and Serbia will be held in Belgrade in April. He stressed that this event is expected to give a strong impetus to the development of cooperation in all areas.
The coordinator of the National Convention for the EU in Serbia, Bojana Selakovic, told REL that the visit of a sanctioned Russian minister will be reflected in the reports of the European Union. According to her, European diplomats will mention this visit and it will be included in Serbia's file for European integration.
Selakovic assessed that in the last four years, a situation has been repeating itself where one part of the Serbian government communicates with European officials, while another part develops relations with Russia. According to her, this shows that Serbia continues to pursue a policy of balancing between several centers of power.
Serbia, four years after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has not joined the European Union's sanctions against Russia. This stance is considered one of the main reasons for the slowdown in the integration process, as the country has not opened any new negotiation chapters since December 2021.
Reshetnikov's visit came on the eve of the expiration of the agreement on Russian gas supplies, on which Serbia remains largely dependent. Russia continues to be an important energy partner for Belgrade.
"Today's meeting and the preparations for the intergovernmental meeting are an opportunity to show that in the future we will be even more together," declared Nenad Popovic, considered a minister with pro-Russian positions.
Selakovic stressed that Popovic continues to play his previous role in the government, describing him as a clear representative of Russian interests in the executive branch.
Popovich and Reshetnikov are co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Committee for Cooperation, which did not meet during 2025. According to officials, the postponement occurred for technical reasons, while the last meeting was held in November 2024 in St. Petersburg.
This committee was described by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a conversation with Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric in February 2025, as the most important mechanism for the development of relations between the two countries.
At the heart of current relations between Serbia and Russia remains the issue of gas supplies, as the short-term supply contract expires at the end of March. Serbia failed to secure a new long-term agreement with the Russian company Gazprom last year.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said after meeting with Reshetnikov that fluctuations in the global energy market require stable and long-term agreements. He added that Serbia currently pays about $320 per cubic meter of Russian gas, while the market price is about $730.
According to him, Serbia will try to reach a new gas agreement before March 31, planning a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reshetnikov's visit also brings to mind developments from October 2024, when his previous visit to Belgrade led to the cancellation of a meeting between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and then-Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević. The European Commission told REL at the time that the meeting no longer had a purpose following reports of strengthening cooperation between Serbia and Russia.
Despite this, Serbian officials have continued contacts with Moscow. However, President Vučić recently stated to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung that relations with Russia have cooled to some extent, citing pressure during negotiations over the ownership structure of the company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), as well as criticism from Russian media.
The NIS company has been placed under US sanctions due to its majority Russian ownership, while negotiations are currently underway between the Hungarian company MOL and the Russian company Gazprom Neft for the sale of the Russian share.
According to Radio Free Europe reporting, recent developments show that Serbia continues to face challenges in balancing relations with Russia and the European Union, while energy issues and strategic orientation remain crucial to its political and economic future.
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