The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, urged Serbia to align its foreign policy with that of the European Union, imposing sanctions on Russia and advancing in dialogue with Kosovo.

Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, requested Serbia to align its foreign policy with that of the European Union, including by imposing sanctions on Russia, during a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. Costa emphasized that Serbia must make progress in the dialogue with Kosovo to accelerate its rapprochement with the EU.

He also mentioned the need to accelerate judicial reforms and review electoral legislation, highlighting that Serbia is lagging behind other candidates in the Western Balkans. Brussels is concerned about Belgrade's close ties with Moscow and Beijing, and Serbia is the only candidate country that has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

Vucic stated that Serbia is determined to meet the EU's requirements, emphasizing the importance of applying European standards for candidate countries. Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009, obtaining candidate status in 2012, but negotiations have stalled since 2021.