Latest news with #Vučić
Dubai Eye
6 days ago
- Business
- Dubai Eye
UAE, Serbia deepen strategic ties during presidential talks
The President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has held high-level talks in Belgrade with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in key sectors, including investment, trade, technology, food security and renewable energy — all part of the broader strategic and economic partnership between the UAE and Serbia. Vučić welcomed Sheikh Mohamed and said the visit reflects both countries' shared commitment to deeper ties and mutual prosperity. The talks also covered regional and global developments, with His Highness reaffirming the UAE's belief in diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful solutions to international challenges. He also emphasised the UAE's support for peace and stability in the Balkans. Both sides expressed a strong interest in further strengthening relations and working together on initiatives that promote regional development and global cooperation. Sheikh Mohamed concluded his visit and departed Belgrade, where he was seen off by Vučić and senior officials.
TAG 91.1
6 days ago
- Business
- TAG 91.1
UAE, Serbia deepen strategic ties during presidential talks
The President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has held high-level talks in Belgrade with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in key sectors, including investment, trade, technology, food security and renewable energy — all part of the broader strategic and economic partnership between the UAE and Serbia. Vučić welcomed Sheikh Mohamed and said the visit reflects both countries' shared commitment to deeper ties and mutual prosperity. The talks also covered regional and global developments, with His Highness reaffirming the UAE's belief in diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful solutions to international challenges. He also emphasised the UAE's support for peace and stability in the Balkans. Both sides expressed a strong interest in further strengthening relations and working together on initiatives that promote regional development and global cooperation. Sheikh Mohamed concluded his visit and departed Belgrade, where he was seen off by Vučić and senior officials.
Al Etihad
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE, Serbian Presidents discuss strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership in Belgrade
17 July 2025 19:37 BELGRADE (WAM)UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks today with His Excellency Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, focusing on various areas of cooperation, particularly in investment, economy, trade, technology, food security, renewable energy, and other sectors that serve the mutual interests and development priorities of both talks were held as part of the comprehensive strategic partnership and comprehensive economic partnership between the UAE and Excellency President Vučić welcomed His Highness during his working visit to Serbia and affirmed that the visit reflects the two countries' shared commitment to deepening cooperation in support of their peoples' aspirations for further progress and two leaders also reviewed a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest. In this context, His Highness underscored that the UAE believes in the importance of cooperation and in prioritising dialogue and diplomacy in resolving disputes and addressing reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to supporting peace and stability in the Balkans, highlighting the importance the country places on building development-focused partnerships with all nations in the region for the benefit of their sides expressed their shared interest in continuing efforts to strengthen UAE-Serbia ties in order to drive growth and prosperity for both countries and their peoples. They also underlined the importance of working together to support peace, stability, and development regionally and Highness was accompanied by a delegation that included H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; Dr. Ahmed Mubarak Ali Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the President's Office for Strategic Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office; Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant of Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority; Ahmed Hatem AlMenhali, UAE Ambassador to Serbia; Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eagle Hills; along with several senior officials. At the conclusion of his visit, His Highness departed Belgrade, where he was bid farewell at the airport by His Excellency President Vučić and a number of senior officials.
Euronews
14-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
How Serbia's turn to the West provoked Putin's reaction
US President Donald Trump hoped to bring a swift end to Russia's war in Ukraine, but six months into the office, he was only left to voice disappointment with Russia's Vladimir Putin following their phone call last week, over Putin's ongoing reluctance to end the three-year-long war in Europe. Putin is digging in for a long political battle of influence with Washington. Serbia, a Western Balkan country also friendly to Russia, seems to be now a new target, after it has come to light that Serbia was supplying Ukraine with arms for quite some time, since the war began. Moscow called it 'stab in the back' and 'betrayal' with Russia's spy agency posting a statement suggesting rockets for multiple rocket launchers and mortar shells, or components for them, where sold through two companies from Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, making this a second official rebuke from Moscow to Belgrade, within a month. Aleksandr Dugin, well-known Russian far-right philosopher, often referred in Russian media as 'Putin's brain' who was sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury in 2015 for his involvement in Russia's war suggested that 'Serbian President (Aleksandar) Vučić has lost legitimacy', also lending support for the ongoing protests against corruption, negligence and poor quality constructions in Serbia that never stopped following deadly canopy collapse in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024. Recently, the Serbian president announced a halt to all military equipment exports. Besides arming Ukraine, Putin didn't like Serbia's recent major agreements with the West. Last July, Serbia, the EU, and Germany signed a battery supply chain deal giving the EU access to raw materials mined in Serbia. With a significant lithium deposit, particularly in the Jadar Valley, Serbia has the potential to become a major European supplier of the crucial battery metal. Germany's then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the deal as a mega project that could reduce Europe's dependency on China. If implemented, the $2.4 billion (€2bn) Jadar lithium project could cover 90% of Europe's current lithium needs. In Belgrade, tens of thousands of protesters rallied against the deal, fearing irreparable pollution of the Jadar valley, despite officials' warnings of their alleged plot to topple Vučić and his government. Many were waving the flag of combined Russian and Serbian colours. While Putin may have hoped to get hold of the lithium vast reserves in Serbia, just last week Russian troops have taken over the site of one of the Ukraine's most valuable lithium deposits near the village of Shevchenko in Donetsk region, leaving just two out of four lithium deposits in central Ukraine under the government control. Serbia also signed a €2.7 billion deal to purchase Rafale jets from France's Dassault Aviation, signalling a major shift in Serbia's security and political stance, moving away from Russia, its traditional ally and weapons supplier. Finally, the US EXIM Board of Directors approved a preliminary commitment to Serbia's Telekom Group for $50 million (€42.8m) to support the preparation and rollout of their 5G telecommunications network. This transaction further reinforces EXIM's China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) as 5G security is a high government priority and falls under one of the 10 transformational export areas supported by EXIM. All this was enough for Moscow to decide to attempt to destabilise the government in Belgrade. It is to be seen if Putin has yet crossed Trump's 'red line' and if Washington is willing to unleash more painful sanctions on Russia. One thing is clear – Moscow's continued defiance and rogue activities in its neighbourhoods have awakened the Trump administration. Ambassador John B. Craig, former US Ambassador to Oman and Special Assistant to President Bush for Combating Terrorism. He is a Senior Fellow at the Transatlantic Leadership Network in Washington and a member of the advisory board of the Institute for Politics and the Economy of Southeast Europe.
Euractiv
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Serbian protests escalate as students demand early vote
Serbia's protest movement has entered a new phase of defiance, with nationwide roadblocks disrupting traffic for three consecutive days as citizens demand snap parliamentary elections. Following a demonstration reportedly bringing together more than 140,000 people in central Belgrade on Saturday, student representatives declared the government 'illegitimate' and issued an "ultimatum": call snap elections by 9 pm that night. The deadline passed without a response, and clashes with police ensued, resulting in injuries on both sides. Just a few hours later, the Gazela motorway bridge, the main arteries of Belgrade, and all major access routes to the Serbian capital were blocked by spontaneously erected barricades. The movement then spread across the rest of the country from Sunday to Monday night, before police began dismantling the blockades in the morning. Vučić on Monday dismissed the blockades as 'terrorist activity." The statement has done little to slow the protest movement, which is organising through social media and advocating for mobile barricades while avoiding direct confrontation with police. By Tuesday, disruptions were ongoing in Zemun, Savski Venac, and across several other parts of the capital, according to an interactive map updated by the demonstrators. Offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have also been targeted with rubbish. Last January, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević was forced to resign after SNS activists violently attacked students. But the new cabinet appointed in April has largely recycled ministers who were already in office. Students have been challenging Serbia's highly authoritarian President, Aleksandar Vučić, and denouncing official corruption ever since the roof of Novi Sad's recently renovated railway station collapsed on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people. The Russians are back As is often the case when protests catch the Serbian authorities off guard, Vučić has been able to count on a small boost from the Kremlin. Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West against instigating a 'colour revolution' in Serbia. That statement came despite last month's diplomatic spat, when Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Belgrade of exporting arms to Ukraine through third countries. On Monday, Vučić did not fail to thank his 'Russian friends' for their understanding, just after he announced the 'suspension' of all Serbian arms exports abroad. Whether or not the idea of a Western-backed colour revolution bears any resemblance to reality is beside the point. The Serbian regime enjoys the support of Paris, Berlin, and Brussels – all of whom are wary of fresh instability in the Balkans. If this was not enough, Vučić ultimately knows how to turn to the East whenever pressure builds at home. (mm)
