Belgrade Is a Friend of Ukraine, Serbian Parliament Speaker Says in Kyiv

BETAPHOTO/National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia/Pedja Vuckovic

Serbian National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Nov. 10 that Belgrade fully supported Ukraine in its EU accession process, adding that the two countries’ parliamentary friendship groups had maintained good cooperation regarding this and other issues.

During her visit to the Verkhovna Rada, the parliament of Ukraine, Brnabic talked with Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, and later told reporters that Ukraine could count on Serbia’s support on its EU path. Brnabic, according to Serbian EU Integration Minister Nemanja Starovic, said that the Memorandum of Understanding on the EU accession process between Serbia and Ukraine had been finalized and expressed hope that it would be signed by the two parties shortly.  

Brnabic also said that Serbia’s top officials, including her and President Aleksandar Vucic, had been maintaining excellent communication with their Ukrainian colleagues. She added that since the beginning of the war with Russia in February 2022, Serbia had supplied Ukraine with large quantities of humanitarian aid and significant financial assistance, which, she said, were greater than the combined aid provided by all other Western Balkan countries.

Brnabic stressed that Ukraine was a friend of Serbia and that Kyiv could count on Belgrade’s help, inviting Stefanchuk to visit Serbia. Speaking at a joint news conference, Stefanchuk thanked Brnabic for visiting Ukraine, saying they had discussed many bilateral issues, including inter-parliamentary cooperation and the joint path to EU membership.