On Monday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić issued an apology to the citizens of Serbia following the country's vote in favor of a United Nations resolution that calls for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The resolution, backed by European nations, was part of the UN's effort to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
"I think Serbia made a mistake today, I apologize to the citizens for that. I take the blame for it myself because I’m probably tired and burdened and can’t get everything done," Vučić stated during an interview with Serbian channel Happy Television on Monday evening.
The U.N. General Assembly's resolution was adopted on Monday with support from 93 countries, including Serbia. However, Russia and the United States voted against it, while 18 countries opposed the resolution and 65 abstained. Notably, later in the day, the U.S. sided with Russia on a U.N. Security Council resolution advocating a "swift end" to the war in Ukraine, which did not label the Kremlin as the aggressor or affirm Ukraine's territorial integrity. This resolution lacked the support of five European Security Council members, including Serbia.
According to President Vučić, Serbia should have abstained from voting on the European-backed resolution, similar to its stance on the American one. "As far as the American resolution is concerned, we voted exactly as it should have been. We abstained. We should have abstained, in my opinion, from the European resolution as well," he remarked. Vučić acknowledged the potential political repercussions of his stance, saying, "As you can see, I am saying this at a time when it is quite clear that I will lose favor or political points in the EU because of this. I believe that Serbia had to abstain."
Following Vučić's apology, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia accepted the apology. "Of course, we heard it — of course, we accepted it. Indeed, technical errors do happen and, of course, such a prompt reaction from the head of state is very appealing to us," Peskov stated.
Serbia has historically maintained close ties with Russia, stemming from shared historical, cultural, and religious connections, as well as economic cooperation, particularly regarding gas supplies. Despite the pressure to distance itself from Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Serbia has resisted imposing sanctions and continues to balance its affiliations with both Russia and the European Union.
In response to the vote, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha expressed gratitude to the countries that backed the European-backed resolution. "Ukraine and the wider international community will also undoubtedly note the company of Member States that voted against," he added.
Sybiha emphasized the importance of truth in the struggle for peace, stating, "Sometimes it is not easy to fight for the truth. But in the end, it is the truth that makes history. We appreciate each of the 93 U.N. Member States that supported our resolution, all its truthful language, and its clear desire to achieve a just and lasting peace."
