Serbia will not impose Russia sanctions – election winner’s rep to RT

The victorious Student List movement emerged from nearly two years of anti-government protests sparked by the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The student-led opposition secured 52.73% of the vote in Sunday's parliamentary election according to preliminary results, defeating the coalition of former President Aleksandar Vucic.

Russia policy unchanged

Speaking on Monday, Jovo Bakic, a university professor and Student List representative, confirmed Serbia's stance on Russia. "We respect Russia both as a great power and as our historically important partner and, in many cases, protector," Bakic said.

Energy and trade concerns

Russia remains Serbia's dominant gas supplier, accounting for roughly three-quarters of its needs. Under Vucic, Serbia resisted EU demands to adopt bloc restrictions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict despite pursuing EU membership. The new government will also halt arms exports to conflict zones, including sales to Western intermediaries supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Serbia faces uncertainty over oil supplies due to US sanctions on NIS, the majority Russian-owned energy company. Hungarian energy group MOL is seeking to acquire the Russian stake, while the current US waiver allowing NIS to continue business expires on October 30.

Kremlin response

The Kremlin said on Monday that it hoped to maintain mutually beneficial relations with Serbia. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Vucic's contribution to bilateral ties and added "As you know, it takes two to tango." Vucic had previously warned that Belgrade could abandon its resistance to EU pressure and sanction Russia within months, though he conceded defeat after the election results.