Speaker of the Serbian Parliament Ana Brnabić arrived on Monday on an official visit to Kiev, where she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. This is the first visit by a senior Serbian representative to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
During the talks, Brnabić stressed that Serbia supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and its European path. According to her, Belgrade is ready to provide technical and expert assistance in the process of European integration. "Serbia and Ukraine can build on their cooperation. We clearly state that Ukraine's place is in Europe," Brnabić said, quoted by the TANYUG news agency.
The Ukrainian side assessed the visit as a gesture of solidarity and confirmed the desire to deepen inter-parliamentary dialogue. President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the meeting on the social network X (formerly Twitter):
"I held a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Serbia, Ana Brnabić. The main focus of the conversation was the process of European integration - a strategic goal for both of our countries. We also discussed intergovernmental cooperation and partnership for regional security.
I am grateful to Serbia for its support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I also thank the First Lady of Serbia for her participation in the meetings of the First Ladies and Gentlemen and for her attention to the issue of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. This is a very important topic for Ukraine and we highly appreciate the support."
The Serbian delegation also visited the Museum of Russian Aggression in Kiev, where Brnabić paid tribute to the victims of the war.
According to a statement from the Ukrainian presidency, the two countries are discussing opportunities for cooperation in energy, reconstruction and education. Zelensky expressed hope that contacts between Kiev and Belgrade will become "an example of partnership between countries with different historical paths but a common European future".
Brnabić's visit caused a wide response in the Serbian media, with some commentators describing it as "a bold step by a neutral state", and others — as a sign of Belgrade's gradual distancing from Moscow.