Putin and Vučić Hold Phone Call, Kremlin Reveals Details of the Discussions

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić discussed further cooperation in the energy, oil and gas, transport and healthcare sectors during a phone call, the Kremlin said Saturday.

According to the statement, the leaders discussed various aspects of the further development of the Russian-Serbian strategic partnership.

“Various aspects of the further development of Russian-Serbian strategic partnership relations were discussed, including the energy, oil and gas industry, transport and healthcare,” it said.

The discussion comes at a time when Serbia faces uncertainty over its energy cooperation with Russia. The current Russian gas supply agreement expires at the end of September, while the U.S. license allowing the Russian-owned Serbian oil company NIS to continue operating also expires on September 30.

Russia has remained Serbia’s main gas supplier, with Russian gas accounting for more than 80% of Serbian supplies.

Under the latest extension agreed in June, Gazprom continued supplies to Serbia on “stable and affordable terms.”

In March, Vučić said Serbia was paying around $320–330 per 1,000 cubic meters under the oil-linked formula, compared with around $690 for gas purchased at the prevailing TTF market price at the time.

Russian gas reaches Serbia via the TurkStream pipeline through Turkey and Bulgaria. The Balkan Stream section of the system transports gas through Serbia toward Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The route replaced the previous transit arrangement through Ukraine and Hungary and, according to Serbian authorities, significantly lowered transport costs.

The leaders also discussed transport links. Serbia has remained the only European country with scheduled direct air links to Russia since the EU banned Russian carriers from its airspace in 2022, with Air Serbia continuing to operate flights to Russian cities.

In September, Russia also granted Serbian airlines the right to operate regular flights to Kaliningrad. At the same time, the continuation of direct air links has remained politically sensitive due to pressure on Serbia over its relations with Moscow.

There have also been reports and speculation about Serbia imposing visa requirements for Russian citizens. Vučić confirmed in June that Serbia has no plans to introduce such a measure, stating that the government has not even considered it.

Vučić thanked Russia for its support of Serbia and expressed special gratitude for Russian assistance in fighting forest fires.

The Serbian president congratulated Putin on the successful State Duma elections and briefed him on preparations for early parliamentary elections in Serbia.

“Both sides emphasized the unacceptability of external interference in electoral processes,” the statement said.

The leaders also discussed international issues, including the conflict in Ukraine. Vučić shared his impressions from participating in the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

During an exchange of views on the situation in the Balkans, Putin and Vučić stressed the importance of preserving the Dayton framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina and ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of Republika Srpska, the Kremlin said.