Serbia's Vucic doubts Putin-Trump talks will end Ukraine war
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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed doubt that the upcoming Trump-Putin summit in Alaska will end the Ukraine war but welcomed the talks as important for peace and potential economic benefits.
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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a press conference after talks with European Council President Antonio Costa at the Serbia Palace in Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has voiced skepticism that the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will bring an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine, though he stressed its importance and wished both leaders success.
The August 15 talks in Alaska, the first US-Russia summit to take place on American soil in decades, come amid shifting diplomatic alignments and Washington's decision to end direct financial support for Kiev's war effort. The White House has said allies will still be able to purchase American-made weapons for Ukraine, while several European states have pledged to continue military and financial assistance and maintain sanctions on Russia.
"I am not sure that it [the conversation] will bring an end to the conflict, but I am sure that it is very important. I wish them good luck, we are all rooting for peace in Ukraine," Vucic told Serbia's TV Pink on Sunday. "I have no sharp comments on this issue. I could recall how we were forbidden to talk with Russians and Americans, but I wish them a good meeting, results, and that they bring joy to all of us, so that we have peace."
European leaders are also seeking to meet with Trump before his talks with Putin, pushing for Ukraine's formal inclusion in any peace framework. A joint statement from several EU capitals pledged “diplomatic support” for Trump's initiative but reaffirmed their commitment to supplying Kiev with “substantial” backing.
The Kremlin has confirmed the Alaska meeting will be bilateral, although a follow-up session involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains possible. Putin has said he is not opposed to future talks with Zelensky but maintains that the conditions for such negotiations “are still far from being created.”
For Vucic, the stakes go beyond diplomacy. He noted that a genuine settlement would deliver major economic benefits not just for Serbia, but for other nations as well, a sentiment echoed by countries looking to restore stability to global markets and trade flows disrupted by the war.
Read more: Zelensky's role uncertain ahead of Putin-Trump summit: CNN
