According to Serbian Economist, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, has arrived in Belgrade, where he will participate in the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of European Union Candidate Countries on July 7.
He was met at Nikola Tesla Airport by Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia. “Welcome to Serbia, dear friend,” Brnabić wrote, greeting the Ukrainian speaker.
On July 7–8, Belgrade is hosting a conference of speakers of the parliaments of EU candidate countries.
Stefanchuk’s visit is significant for Ukrainian-Serbian relations for several reasons. First, it represents a high-level parliamentary engagement against the backdrop of both countries’ European integration. Ukraine and Serbia are formally moving toward EU membership.
Second, Belgrade has been striving in recent months to adopt a more proactive parliamentary approach in its relations with Kyiv. In November 2025, Ana Brnabić visited Ukraine and met with Stefanchuk in Kyiv. At that time, the parties discussed interparliamentary cooperation, European integration, energy and humanitarian aid, and Brnabić stated that Serbia supports Ukraine’s European path.
For Serbia, the Ukrainian speaker’s visit is an opportunity to show Brussels that Belgrade is engaged in the pan-European parliamentary agenda and maintains channels of dialogue with Kyiv. For Ukraine, it is a chance to strengthen engagement with the Serbian political class not only through the government but also through parliament, expert circles, and the European integration agenda.
The practical substance of the meeting may extend beyond protocol: Ukraine and Serbia may discuss joint projects, the alignment of legislation with the EU, Ukraine’s recovery, humanitarian projects, energy, education, business contacts, and the role of parliaments in supporting bilateral dialogue.
The revival of economic dialogue between the two countries provided an additional backdrop to the visit. In May, a Serbian-Ukrainian business forum was held in Belgrade with the participation of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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