President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday began his first official visit to Serbia to discuss security with a rare European country still closely allied with Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Welcomed at Belgrade airport by Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, Zelensky had dinner with Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic.

“We will discuss expanding economic ties between our countries, relations with the European Union, other areas that can benefit our nations, and security issues,” Zelensky said on X.

With Serbia historically close to Russia, Vucic has refused to sanction Moscow, a move that has irked the EU and slowed Belgrade’s path to joining the bloc.

Vucic and Zelensky are to hold official talks on Saturday at the presidential palace and make a statement to the press, according to the Serbian presidency.

A senior Ukrainian official told AFP ahead of the trip that it was an attempt to “pull the Serbs away from Russia’s side”, but Vucic has remained adamant that his decision not to sanction Moscow would not change.

“I am sure Volodymyr Zelensky, in line with his struggle and his views, will say what he thinks about sanctions against the Russian Federation, but the Republic of Serbia set out its position four and a half years ago, almost five years ago, and has not changed it since,” Vucic told media on Thursday.

“That will remain the case until further notice,” he said.

Zelensky — who has toured much of the world since Russia’s 2022 invasion seeking support — has not visited Serbia since he became president in 2019.

Although heavily dependent on cheap Russian gas and one of the rare European leaders to still visit Moscow, Vucic has also supplied non-military aid to Kyiv.

The Kremlin has accused Serbian firms of selling munitions to Ukraine, a claim Vucic has repeatedly denied.

Vucic went to Ukraine for a regional summit last year and visited Kyiv this year. He has promised assistance to Ukraine but avoided signing a formal declaration of support in the war.