Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine's policy has not changed regarding the non-recognition of Kosovo's independence.

"We respect the territorial integrity of our partners and international law. Regarding Kosovo, our position remains unchanged. We are grateful to Serbia for respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea," Zelensky said during a press conference in Belgrade alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Despite Kiev not recognizing the independence declared in 2008, Kosovo has joined European and US sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. Pristina has also sheltered Ukrainian journalists who fled their country because of the war.

Meanwhile, Vučić said that he had discussed military cooperation with the Ukrainian leader, whose country is facing an invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

"What will happen when the war ends, that's another matter," said Vučić, who welcomed Zelensky on his first official visit to Serbia.

Vučić announced that a drone factory will open in Serbia in mid-September, but in cooperation with the Israelis.

"The Ukrainians are very successful and have many of their own drone factories," he added.

Zelensky visited Serbia, a country that is one of the few in Europe that has not joined sanctions against Russia due to the war against Ukraine.

"We want a dignified peace," Zelensky declared, emphasizing that every opportunity to achieve peace must be used.

"Every opportunity that exists in Washington, Beijing, the capitals of Europe, among our partners in the Middle East, in the Gulf countries and in all other capitals and major cities around the world," he said.

The Ukrainian leader added that his country is developing any kind of cooperation that can offer its people greater resilience and opportunities to face all the challenges of this war.

He said that Ukraine is grateful to the EU for each of the 21 sanctions packages, but assessed that this is not enough.

Zelensky said that Russian ballistic missiles have hundreds of thousands of components that arrive in Russia from every continent.

"Implement sanctions on the supply of components for the production of Russian weapons. And it is important that Russia is not given the opportunity to earn billions," Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president did not refer to the fact that Serbia refuses to impose sanctions on Russia due to the invasion of his country.

Serbia supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, but is one of the few European countries that did not join Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

Vučić said that Serbia will continue to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Vucic also said that Serbia would not object to Ukraine being admitted first to the European Union.

"We will never create a problem, we will never say accept us first, we started earlier," said the Serbian president.

Serbia and Ukraine are establishing cooperation, as both countries are candidates for membership in the European Union, despite Belgrade's ties to the Kremlin.

What was the conversation about?
Zelensky said that he and Vučić discussed bilateral cooperation and issues that could strengthen infrastructure.

"There are concrete development and infrastructure projects, such as reconstruction projects in Ukraine, which we can implement together," he added.

Vucic stressed that Serbian authorities had previously promised Zelensky that they would take care of the reconstruction of a smaller town that was hit during the war.

"And we will do this," he said.

Vučić also announced that Serbia has allocated significant aid to Ukraine.

He said he believes that Ukraine will be more satisfied in the coming period with humanitarian aid from Serbia, primarily for the energy sector, with equipment needed for the winter.

"I believe that after the end of the war, our cooperation will be even stronger and greater in terms of foreign policy, so that together we can export to third markets, especially to the African and Asian continents," Vučić said.

Both leaders expressed their belief that a free trade agreement between the two countries will soon be signed.

During Zelensky's visit, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of Serbia and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection on cooperation in the field of animal health and food safety.

Zelenskiy arrived in Belgrade on the evening of August 7, and was welcomed at the airport by the Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Djellovic Handanovic, while Vučić later met with him during an organized dinner.

The visit had been long-anticipated, with Zelensky arriving in Serbia three weeks after the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Kiev, at which Vučić was the only leader who did not sign the joint statement.

That document stated that increased pressure on Russia was needed in order to end its occupation of Ukraine./ REL