Djuric in Yerevan: Why would Serbia’s territorial integrity be less important than that of any other European country?

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Marko Djuric stated at a panel on European integration at the “Yerevan Dialogue 2026” Forum in Armenia that he does not see why Serbia’s territorial integrity would be less important than the territorial integrity of any other European country.

Djuric emphasized that Serbia’s territorial integrity was undermined by the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo in 2008.

“We want to protect our interests. Serbia’s territorial integrity was undermined by the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence, which we consider an illegal act from 2008. Both Ukraine and the Russia support Serbia’s position regarding the status of Kosovo, as do five EU member states. I do not see why Serbia’s territorial integrity would be less important than the territorial integrity of any other European country. Frankly, this is something that the citizens of Serbia cannot understand,” Djuric stressed.

When it comes to Serbia’s relations with the European Union, Djuric said that Serbia has contributed to Europe’s security more than many other countries in the region.

“I will give you one example. Serbia has in practice followed European foreign policy regarding Ukraine by sending large amounts of humanitarian aid. We have sent more than 90 percent of the humanitarian aid to Ukrainians from our region in recent years. I am not saying this to diminish the efforts of other countries, which are also significant, but we have done a large part of the work. At the same time, we have also protected our national interest. It is in Serbia’s interest to be a place of meeting, where people can talk and conduct dialogue. I believe that dialogue is in the interest of both sides in this difficult conflict,” he noted.

He thanked for the warm welcome and emphasized that in politics there are moments when urgent action is necessary, which is why he is pleased that dialogue is currently taking place within the framework of the European Political Community.

“In politics, timing is key. When we analyze the foreign policy of my country, I can say that we are aware of the unprecedented circumstances the world is facing today. I am speaking about the broader picture. The impact of social media today is comparable to the impact of the printing press, and we all know the changes brought by its invention. The impact of artificial intelligence, which is comparable in importance to the industrial revolution, is also changing existing trends. We are facing changes in the global geopolitical order. What was unimaginable five or ten years ago is no longer impossible today. I like the word you mentioned in the introduction—adaptability. Countries that want to succeed, as we have seen in Armenia, but also in Serbia, which has nearly tripled its GDP in one decade, must change. The key is adaptability—acting in accordance with national interests, but also with the principles of international public law,” the head of Serbian diplomacy underlined.

Asked whether Serbia would have a representative in Moscow on May 9, marking Victory Day, Djuric said that Serbia cherishes the memory of its contribution to the anti-fascist struggle in the Second World War.

“We value the contribution of the Red Army to the liberation of Belgrade. This is not something we are ashamed of or hide. Troops from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other Soviet republics took part in it. Around 800,000 people from Yugoslavia, mostly from Serbia, fought for liberation, and we commemorate that in Belgrade. We send representatives to various commemorations around the world.

A few years ago, our president attended that parade together with the Israeli prime minister and some EU leaders. I believe we will be adequately represented in all important places, especially where the fight against fascism is commemorated. Those who think that such evil cannot be repeated in the 21st century have not learned much from history. Technology advances, but societies remain the same. We adhere to principles—for us, the territorial integrity of every country, whether Serbia or Ukraine, is equally important,” Djuric concluded.

Armenia an important partner

In a statement to the media, he said that in Yerevan he sought to explain the basic principles of Serbia’s policy—adaptability and consistency in national interests.

“At such panels there is always some debate, so there were questions about Serbia’s participation in Moscow for Victory Day. My answer was that Serbia is proud of its anti-fascist struggle, as we are a nation that made enormous sacrifices in the fight against fascism in Europe. Our representatives participate in various events marking the victory over fascism worldwide. We want to contribute to dialogue, but we also have a clear policy of protecting territorial integrity. Why should our territorial integrity be less valuable than that of any other country? That is a question President Aleksandar Vučić often raises at such gatherings. We want to convey that double standards must not apply to Serbia,” he stressed.

He added that he wanted to present Serbia as a country that can contribute to Europe.

“We want to contribute on an equal footing to the European project and we extend a hand of cooperation. Today we have important talks; I am meeting with the Armenian foreign minister. Armenia is an important partner for us in this part of the world and supports our territorial integrity, even though Albin Kurti is also present here. Our cooperation is oriented toward the future. Since 2021 we have had a Free Trade Agreement, we have opened an embassy, and we want to develop relations in numerous areas. My goal is to deepen mutual understanding,” Djuric said.