The Kremlin said Monday that it hoped Serbia's new political leaders recognised the benefits of cooperation with Russia, after a student-led protest movement beat longtime Moscow-friendly leader Aleksandar Vucic in a national election.
"We would like to express hope... that these new political forces understand that cooperation with Russia is in Serbia's interests, because it brings benefits to Serbia," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile welcomed the result as a "new chapter in the history of the country and its people".
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"We are ready to continue expanding our cooperation, and may all the good hopes of the people of Serbia come true!" Zelensky said in a post on X.
Serbia : the capital of Belgrade tonight.
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) October 26, 2026
Following last night's victory, the Student List organized a victory party tonight to thank all its supporters and voters for helping it defeat president Vucic. pic.twitter.com/GLFvNjXken
Vucic long juggled the competing interests of Serbia's European Union aspirations and its close ties to Russia. It has been one of the few European nations to maintain close ties to the Kremlin since Russia's full-scale offensive against Ukraine started in 2022.
Last year, Vucic went to Russia to take part in commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II.