London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

Serbia must choose between EU and Russia, says Germany

Serbia must choose between EU and Russia, says Germany

Country’s military placed on high alert because of mounting tensions in Kosovo
Serbia must decide whether it wants to join the EU or cultivate deeper ties with Russia, Germany has said, amid media reports that Belgrade had placed its military on high alert because of mounting tensions in Kosovo.

Two days before a western Balkans summit in Berlin aimed at bolstering relations with the region’s six countries, a senior German official said Serbia had to decided whether it was on the side of Moscow or the EU.

“The need for a decision is coming to a head,” said the official, who asked not to be identified. “The relationship with Serbia is complex – there is light as well as shadows. Serbia’s relations with Russia are certainly part of the shadows.”

The official said Berlin had been “surprised and disappointed” when Serbia’s foreign minister, Nikola Selaković, last month signed an agreement with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, agreeing to consult each other on foreign policy.

Serbia, an EU accession candidate since 2012, has struggled to balance historically close ties with Russia against aspirations for integration with Europe, and tensions have been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine with many Serbs sympathetic to Russia.

The country’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, “will have support from from the EU as a whole and from the German government if he takes the path to Europe”, the official said. “Should he choose the other path, it will have ensuing consequences.”

It comes as Serbian media reported the country’s defence minister, Miloš Vučević, as saying its military had been placed on high alert because of tensions in Kosovo.

“We cannot be relaxed, and we stand for dialogue,” Vučević said, adding that the country’s army stood ready to “protect all citizens of Serbia, including the Serbs in Kosovo, and no one should doubt that”.

Kosovo last week said it was postponing a plan to confiscate cars owned by ethnic Serbs who refuse to use local car registration plates after the EU and multiple western countries warned the move would inflame ethnic tensions.

Kosovo has tried repeatedly to mandate its Serb minority to change their old plates dating back to before 1999, when Kosovo was still part of Serbia, but there has been fierce resistance by local Serbs.

The EU said on Saturday Kosovo was entitled to phase out the plates but should allow a longer transition period. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but about 50,000 ethnic Serbs who live in the northern part refuse to recognise Pristina’s authority.

Thursday’s summit, hosted by the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, will bring together the heads of government of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia as well as EU leaders to sign accords on mutual recognition of ID documents, university degrees and professional qualifications.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×