President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, announced on Tuesday that he had a brief conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their joint visit to Beijing. However, he clarified that there was no formal bilateral meeting between them.

Details of their discussion in the Chinese capital were not disclosed.

Both Vučić and Putin were in Beijing to participate in the international forum for the Chinese “Belt and Road” initiative. This marked the first time they met in the same location since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.

Serbia has faced criticism from the European Union for its reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion.

In Beijing, Vučić also highlighted the potential benefits of the recently signed free trade agreement between Serbia and China for Serbian citizens.

He mentioned that this agreement would facilitate the export of Serbian fruit to international markets, ultimately boosting the country’s economy and affecting factors such as wages and pensions.

Although discussions with President Xi Jinping of China centered on further enhancing cooperation across various domains, specific details about the talks were not provided.

Vučić emphasized that the Beijing visit also served as an opportunity to build international relations in Africa and Asia.

In the meantime, Vučić led the Serbian delegation at the international “Belt and Road” forum in China, accompanied by several government ministers.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić addressed the European Union’s concerns about the agreement with China.

The EU had indicated that Serbia, as a candidate for EU membership, should withdraw from all bilateral free trade agreements upon accession to the bloc.

In response, Dačić stated that the EU should first outline the terms for Serbia’s accession. He highlighted the historical significance of the Free Trade Agreement between Serbia and China, stating that it would bring substantial benefits to Serbia in the coming decades.