A Conversation with President Aleksandar Vucic: Insights for the Press

Opening statements:

I sincerely appreciate being here today and am very thankful. Mr. President, I express my gratitude for your warm welcome, as well as that of our Serbian hosts.

I would also like to acknowledge our Embassy team, particularly our Ambassador, Ambassador Hill, for his many years of dedication not only to the United States but especially to this region.

I am visiting Serbia to strengthen our collaboration on various matters that I have discussed with the President and others—advancing EU integration; ensuring a harmonious and stable Western Balkans; supporting Serbia’s and the region’s ongoing economic vitality; enhancing partnerships in technology and renewable energy.

As a result of our collaboration on these and numerous other topics, and due to our recognition of Serbia as a crucial leader in the region, the President and I talked today about commencing a Strategic Dialogue. This will elevate our relationship to a new level.

A dialogue of this nature provides us with a structured framework for engagement between our governments on vital cooperation issues, such as trade and economic alliances, energy, defense collaboration, rule of law, and upholding fundamental rights.

Moreover, our dialogue showcases the significance we ascribe to our connection with Serbia. It is founded on mutual respect and a collective pledge to forge a better future together.

This dialogue also builds upon the substantial enhancement of our economic linkages, including the Intergovernmental Agreement on clean energy collaboration that we signed in September 2024; our joint efforts regarding critical minerals and the advancement of 5G technology; as well as the US Development Finance Corporation’s investment of nearly $300 million in Serbia since 2022.

As partners, we will sometimes find ourselves at odds on specific matters, and this dialogue will furnish a framework and a designated channel for addressing those concerns.

Today, we also discussed the US Department of Treasury’s announcement regarding sanctions on more than 300 entities associated with the Russian energy industry. These sanctions are aimed at Russia, not Serbia.

The majority Russian-owned oil enterprise NIS is among those 300 entities. The objective of the sanctions on NIS is to eliminate Russian ownership. We have already had several discussions on this matter, including my conversation today with the President on how to facilitate this ownership change. There will be no economic turmoil as a result of these sanctions if the Russian ownership is eradicated.

Russia is evidently not investing in Serbia’s future, as evidenced by the profits it has extracted from NIS. Altering NIS ownership will foster greater peace and prosperity here and throughout the region. We remain dedicated to collaborating with Serbia to diversify its energy sources and establish its energy autonomy.

Mr. President, I would like to thank you once again for your support of the humanitarian initiatives in Ukraine and for reopening your Embassy there. We appreciate that ongoing support.

In conclusion, I want to reaffirm that the United States is steadfast in supporting Serbia’s journey towards European integration and a thriving future.

I feel very honored to have had the opportunity to visit Serbia and to reach an agreement with the President on launching our Strategic Dialogue. We anticipate further advancing our relationship in the future. I am optimistic about our trajectory.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Questions and Answers:

Marko Subotic, Euronews Serbia [in Serbian]: Greetings Mr. Verma. I have a question for you: While you claim that the sanctions do not target Serbia but rather Russia, NIS is a strategically vital company for Serbian citizens. Have you considered the ramifications that this decision may entail for the country where you are now establishing a Strategic Dialogue?

Deputy Secretary Verma: Allow me to clarify on this Strategic Dialogue; this has been contemplated for an extended period, and the topics raised by the President are undoubtedly important, spanning defense, energy, and regional security. Honestly, I appreciate the emphasis on fostering people-to-people connections as well. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which has a remarkable diaspora community. Hence, the array of subjects we can discuss in this Strategic Dialogue will be very significant.

As I mentioned, while we understand the complexity and challenges of implementing these sanctions, there remains a certain straightforwardness and transparency regarding the sanctions because they specifically target Russian aggression. They do not focus on Serbia or its people. Therefore, as the President noted, we will collaborate closely with our partners here to ensure a clear path for implementation that does not disrupt the economy here and, as I mentioned, aims to bring enhanced peace and prosperity throughout the region.

In reality, NIS stands as Serbia’s most lucrative enterprise, yet its Russian owners have siphoned off profits to fuel a violent aggression against Ukraine and destabilize the Balkans and Europe, instead of investing in Serbia’s future.

While I appreciate the challenges involved in implementing these measures, we are committed to working diligently with our friends and partners, supported by a capable team.

As I noted Ambassador Hill’s service, I also want to acknowledge our Assistant Secretary for Europe Jim O’Brien and our Deputy Assistant Secretary Kasanof. With their profound expertise and our close cooperation, we will strive to work closely with you on the implementation.