Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka’s trip to Belgrade turned a cautious diplomatic thaw into an ambitious economic project, as Serbia and Ukraine suddenly started talking not just about principles, but about pipelines and free trade.

A visit framed in strategy

Kachka arrived in the Serbian capital as the point man promised by Volodymyr Zelensky after his recent call with President Aleksandar Vučić, in which both leaders agreed bilateral relations "should be strong" and saw "potential for their development."Александар Вучић (avucic)¹ His mandate: turn warm words into concrete deals before year‑end.

Morning: Vučić sets the tone

The day began at the Presidency on Andrićev venac, where Vučić described an "open and substantial conversation" on upgrading bilateral ties and “further development of cooperation in areas of common interest,” with a “special emphasis” on stronger economic cooperation.² Both sides backed continued negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), eyeing higher trade volumes, investment and links in “trade, energy and infrastructure.”²

European integration was rolled in as political glue: a Memorandum of Understanding on EU integration was hailed as “an additional step towards the exchange of experiences and stronger institutional cooperation,” Vučić’s camp stressed.²

Midday: Macut pitches Serbia as a hub

Later, Prime Minister Đuro Macut expanded the economic pitch. Serbia, he argued, “has the potential to become a key economic and logistical hub for Ukrainian companies,” while an FTA could “significantly increase” trade and “open a new phase” of cooperation.³ He wrapped the offer in familiar pro‑government themes: commitment to “peace and stability,” a firm “European path,” and regional cooperation.³

Energy security featured heavily, with Macut flagging the Vertical Gas Corridor as “one of the key elements for strengthening energy security and connectivity of the region.”³

Afternoon: Lazarević puts a deadline on free trade

Trade Minister Jagoda Lazarević then delivered the punch line: Belgrade and Kyiv are pushing to finalize a Serbia‑Ukraine FTA “by the end of the year.”⁴ Her meeting with Kachka focused on tightening bilateral cooperation and keeping the negotiations moving.⁴

A pro‑government framing, with wider implications

Across the day, the message from Serbian officials was tightly aligned: Serbia is a regional hub, a reliable partner, and a country that can talk to Ukraine while juggling a crowded foreign‑policy calendar—Vučić was still sharing posts about meetings with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan’s leaders in parallel.Александар Вучић (avucic)⁵, Александар Вучић (avucic)⁶ For a government under pressure to balance East and West, Kachka’s visit was cast as proof that, at least on trade and energy, Belgrade can have it both ways.