{"id":1363685,"date":"2026-02-28T12:35:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/ukrainian-serbian-relations-from-diplomatic-scandals-to-the-supply-of-shells-to-the-front\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T07:11:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T05:11:07","slug":"ukrainian-serbian-relations-from-diplomatic-scandals-to-the-supply-of-shells-to-the-front","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/ukrainian-serbian-relations-from-diplomatic-scandals-to-the-supply-of-shells-to-the-front\/","title":{"rendered":"From Diplomatic Drama to Battlefield Ammo: The Twisted Path of Ukrainian-Serbian Relations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Author’s Facebook<\/a> page<\/em><\/p>\n

On the fourth anniversary of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Balkans once again exposed their geopolitical fault lines. As much of the democratic world reaffirmed solidarity with Kyiv, an act of vandalism in Novi Sad\u2014where unknown individuals splashed black paint over a monument to Taras Shevchenko\u2014underscored the region\u2019s lingering ambivalence. The incident became a stark symbol of the uneasy balance between official diplomacy, public sentiment, and the complex political currents shaping Serbia\u2019s stance toward Ukraine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ukrainian Embassy described it as a shameful act of vandalism. In my view, the incident offers an opportunity to examine how modern realpolitik operates. We must learn to avoid resorting to cheap provocations when national strategic interests are at stake.<\/p>\n

In the information space, Serbia is traditionally perceived as a partner of the Kremlin in Europe. This perception has been largely shaped by the legacy of the late 1990s, Serbia\u2019s energy dependence on Moscow, and its common stance on Kosovo. Yet beyond the surface of these ties lies a far more complex and pragmatic reality.<\/p>\n

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Few people openly discuss it, but Serbia has become one of the key indirect suppliers of ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to Western analysts, the volume of Serbian military exports delivered to Ukraine via third countries has already exceeded \u20ac800 million.<\/p>\n

At the same time, President Vu\u010di\u0107 maintains a carefully calibrated position. He has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia so as not to alienate his domestic electorate, even as Serbian factories continue fulfilling European contracts for artillery shells that ultimately end up on Ukraine\u2019s front line.<\/p>\n\t\t