Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has turned down an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia, citing scheduling conflicts, according to reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Balkan service on Thursday.
“We have important guests [coming] from abroad at that time,” Vucic explained, indicating that pre-existing commitments would prevent his attendance at the high-level BRICS meeting scheduled for October 22-24 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.
The invitation, which Vucic confirmed receiving “10-12 days ago,” had initially been under consideration by the Serbian leader. Putin expressed hope on Wednesday that Vucic would accept the invitation to participate in the summit.
BRICS, an economic group originally formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. The organization aims to unite major emerging economies and serve as a counterbalance to Western economic influence.
This development comes amid growing tension between Serbia’s historical ties with Russia and its aspirations to join the European Union. Earlier on Thursday, the EU issued a warning to Serbia, stating that maintaining strong relations with Russia was “incompatible” with its EU membership ambitions.
The EU’s statement followed comments made by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, who described Belgrade as an “ally of Russia” during a meeting with Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
Serbia’s position remains complex, as the country has deep historical and economic ties with Russia, including a heavy reliance on Russian natural gas. While Serbia condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a United Nations vote, it has resisted imposing sanctions on Moscow, unlike many Western nations.
The decision by Vucic to decline the BRICS summit invitation highlights the delicate balancing act Serbia continues to perform between its traditional ally Russia and its aspirations for closer integration with the European Union.
Serbian officials have not provided further details about the “important guests” cited as the reason for Vucic’s inability to attend the BRICS summit. The move, however, may be seen as an attempt by Belgrade to navigate the increasingly complicated diplomatic landscape it faces as it seeks to maintain relationships with both East and West.
