BELGRADE, Serbia — President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia announced late Sunday that he had a conversation with Donald Trump, encouraging him to visit Serbia. During their discussion, Vucic noted that Trump had garnered the most support in Serbia compared to any other European nation during his presidential campaign.
The Serbian leader described the phone call as “very cordial,” and emphasized that Trump was already well-informed about various aspects of Serbia. Vucic expressed his optimism that the relationship between Serbia and the U.S. would see further enhancement across numerous areas under the next Trump administration.
In a post on Instagram, Vucic articulated his desire for Trump to visit Serbia, reinforcing that the nation had shown the highest level of support for Trump’s election among European countries. Throughout the campaign, Vucic and other officials in Serbia openly endorsed Trump, with hopes that his approach to the Balkans would diverge from the policies of the previous U.S. administration, which focused on curtailing the ambitions of Serbian nationalists toward neighboring countries.
Despite pursuing membership in the European Union, Serbia has refrained from imposing sanctions against Russia, its longstanding ally, amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The country has managed to maintain relative acceptance in the West by reportedly routing arms to Ukraine through intermediary nations.
Vucic mentioned that Trump expressed gratitude for the affection and support extended towards him by the Serbian populace. He conveyed his anticipation that their cooperation could evolve further across various sectors in forthcoming discussions.
Serbia has maintained strong connections with members of Trump’s circle, even throughout the tenure of President Joe Biden. Earlier this year, the Serbian government entered into a lucrative agreement with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, to develop a luxury hotel on the former defense ministry site in Belgrade. This location has historical significance, having been bombed during NATO’s military intervention in 1999, which aimed to halt severe violence against Kosovo Albanian separatists.
The hotel project has generated considerable debate within Serbia. It is believed that the proposal originated from Richard Grenell, a former Trump aide and envoy to the Balkans, who is anticipated to secure a prominent position in the upcoming Trump administration. In recognition of Grenell’s contributions to fostering peaceful cooperation and strengthening ties between Serbia and the U.S., Vucic honored him with a prestigious medal of honor in 2023.