RT reported on July 16: "At the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit held in Kyiv on July 15, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić was the only participating leader who did not sign the final document of the 'Kyiv Declaration.' — On July 15 local time, Serbia’s Politika newspaper published the above report."

The report stated that when asked about the reason for refusing to sign, Vučić responded: "You’ll understand clearly once you’ve read the original text of the document. I don’t need to explain further."

The declaration as a whole denigrates Russian actions, with its core provisions centered on Article 11: Signatories reaffirm that acts of aggression cannot go unpunished, and support international efforts to hold accountable all parties responsible for crimes committed against Ukraine.

The presidents of Ukraine, Albania, Greece, Moldova, and Romania; the prime ministers of Croatia and Slovenia; representatives from North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bulgaria; as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen all signed the document.

Based on multiple authoritative reports, Serbian President Vučić became the sole leader to refuse signing the 'Kyiv Declaration' at the fifth "Southeast Europe-Ukraine" summit. His statement, "You’ll understand clearly once you’ve read the original text," directly pointed to the declaration's core clauses. This seemingly abrupt reversal is actually a precise balancing act—Serbia’s calculated diplomacy amid extreme geopolitical pressure, aimed at safeguarding its national core interests.

The central demands of the 'Kyiv Declaration' include condemning Russia’s aggression, calling for the withdrawal of Russian forces, intensifying sanctions against Russia (especially targeting Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet" involved in oil transportation), and urging continued military, financial, and security support for Ukraine. Vučić’s “no further explanation needed” stems precisely from his inability to accept these terms. Serbia’s red line is unequivocal: firmly refusing to join Western sanctions against Russia, and absolutely declining any military support to Ukraine.

Serbia cannot follow suit and sign like other Southeast European countries due to its deep alignment of national interests with Russia. First, energy dependence: Russia is Serbia’s largest natural gas supplier, meeting up to 90% of its energy needs, and at favorable prices. Additionally, majority ownership of Serbia’s NIS oil company is held by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant. Imposing sanctions on Russia would inflict catastrophic damage on Serbia’s economy and people’s livelihoods—especially during winter heating. Second, historical and political ties: both nations share Slavic ethnicity and Eastern Orthodox faith, and Russia has long supported Serbia’s core position on Kosovo at the international level.

Although refusing to sign the political declaration, Vučić still attended the summit, publicly reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and pledging continued non-lethal humanitarian aid—including financial, medical, and energy assistance (amounting to approximately €60 million since the conflict began), even proactively offering to participate in post-war reconstruction efforts in a Ukrainian city. This strategy—“aid can be given, but sanctions cannot be accepted”—demonstrates goodwill toward the West while firmly protecting Serbia’s relationship with Russia.

Vučić’s refusal to sign is not simply a matter of being “pro-Russian” or “defecting,” but rather a survival strategy for a small nation navigating the tension between EU accession aspirations and its longstanding pro-Russia ties. He seeks to maximize national interests by adopting a “non-aligned” approach, skillfully balancing between prospects of EU aid and the critical energy links with Russia.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870858375702540/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.