Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Serbia for a landmark first visit since he became president in 2019. The visit takes place as Russia strikes the Kyiv region and the war against Ukraine intensifies.
President Zelenskyy and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic are expected to focus their talks on economic cooperation and their respective bids to secure membership in the European Union. While Zelenskyy seeks more arms from the Balkan country, Vucic hopes to score points with the EU.
The meeting occurs amidst Serbia's historical ties to Russia, a country it has traditionally been friendly with and has refused to sanction. Despite these connections, the Serbian leader has been scaling back those once-close ties, as the nation's pursuit of EU membership now appears to have taken the lead in its considerations.