President Aleksandar Vučić: Europe vilifies Trump, but we in Serbia see a friend

From Brussels to Berlin, a worrying strain of disdain has taken hold. Much of the European establishment views the "America First" philosophy with a mixture of confusion and hostility. The emerging talk of "strategic autonomy" on the continent is a polite way of distancing Europe from a Washington that demands results rather than rhetoric.

Serbia, which has long nursed deep-rooted suspicions about the United States, has travelled in the opposite direction. It is the one corner of Europe where affinity for the United States has grown in recent years. This is extraordinary because Serbia has not been, by instinct or history, a pro-American country. The harrowing memory of the 1999 US-led NATO bombings remains a source of agony for millions of Serbians. It was a time of immense suffering, destruction and national trauma. Given this painful past, it is not easy for people to open their hearts to the United States or its leaders.

Today, however, you will seldom find instances of the reflexive anti-Americanism now infecting much of Europe. In fact, in my repeated travels across my country, I have noticed something that is vanishingly rare across our continent: an unapologetic enthusiasm for the leadership of Donald Trump.

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My own view of Trump was forged during his first term. The willingness of Trump and his closest aides to hear Serbia’s position seriously and without prejudice was a refreshing departure from my experiences of the past. I remember meetings at the White House with his inner circle that lasted for hours after difficult negotiations, and yet at no point did I feel that my concerns were dismissed or that I was patronised. The caricature of Trump as an aggressive bully never matched my own experience. He was direct, yes, but he listened carefully, engaged sincerely, and treated Serbia with respect.

For the leader of a small country, that matters more than people in large powers sometimes appreciate. Too often in Brussels, for instance, smaller nations feel they are being hectored rather than heard. I was so struck by Trump’s approach that I spoke in public meetings about my respect for him and his core team.

The ability to win over the people in a country such as Serbia is a testament to the sheer force of Trump’s personality. He has managed to melt away old suspicions by projecting a different kind of American presence. In a region where some neighbours have chosen to name avenues after American presidents who brought war and chaos to our doorstep, Serbians see something unprecedented in Trump. They see a peacemaker.

This is why the recent, chilling attempt on President Trump’s life at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was felt so strongly across Serbia. To see a leader targeted for his convictions is a tragedy we understand all too well here. Some put out perfunctory condemnations; the Serbian people radiated a genuine, visceral solidarity.

While Serbia remains committed to securing full membership of the European Union, we do so in the belief that a more resilient Europe is only possible with resolute, sovereign partners. We believe in a Europe that draws strength from its historical alliances. For us, the road to Brussels does not require a detour away from Washington. If anything, we believe Serbia’s unique relationship with the United States can serve as a vital asset for the entire continent’s stability and growth.

Elites across the Atlantic have spent years vilifying Trump, but the Serbian people have recognised a kindred spirit. We see a leader who values national sovereignty over faceless bureaucracy, who prioritises economic reality over ideological fantasy, and who understands that a nation is defined by its culture, faith, traditions, and heritage.

Serbia is a country that has had to fight repeatedly throughout its history for the right to govern itself and preserve its freedom. During the Second World War, we were among the few peoples in occupied Europe to launch a large-scale popular uprising against Nazi occupation. Because of that history, Serbians understand intimately the human cost when the sanctity of borders is violated.

The growing Serbian regard for President Trump, which is helping to undo decades of mistrust of US leadership in this region, is bound by values. We are a small but proud nation that has survived centuries of being caught between empires. We understand what it means to fight for your own interests when the rest of the world tells you to be quiet. When Donald Trump speaks about protecting workers, defending cultural heritage and demanding respect on the global stage, he is speaking the language of the Serbian people.

It has been over half a century since a sitting American president made a state visit to Belgrade. The year was 1970, and Richard Nixon was met with crowds that stretched as far as the eye could see. Since then, the map of Europe has changed profoundly, but the potential for a historic partnership has only grown.

I can say with absolute certainty: should Donald Trump visit Belgrade, he would receive a welcome unlike any seen in Europe since Nixon’s time. He would see a sea of American and Serbian flags held by ordinary people who genuinely want America to be great because, unlike elites in Europe’s old centres of power, they know that a strong America is indispensable to a stable world.

President Trump — and the American people — would quickly recognise that today’s Serbia is a vastly different place. It is one of Europe's most dynamic economies and among its most attractive destinations for serious long-term investment. We are no longer merely a crossroads between East and West, but increasingly a centre of industrial growth, energy development and technological innovation in this part of Europe.

Consider the facts. Serbia currently boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates in Europe, consistently outperforming the Eurozone. From massive data centres to our critical role in the European electric vehicle supply chain, Serbia is now a hub for the technology of tomorrow. We sit on the continent’s second-largest mineable deposits of lithium — a resource vital to Western industrial independence — and we are seeking partners who value efficiency and results.

For the United States, the strategic logic is straightforward. Serbia sits at the intersection of critical energy, transport and digital corridors linking Southeast Europe to the wider continent. We are expanding rapidly in advanced manufacturing and data infrastructure, and are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and energy diversification ahead of EXPO 2027 in Belgrade. At a time when Washington is seeking dependable supply chains and reliable regional partners, Serbia offers strategic depth, political stability and a government focused on execution rather than ideology.

Others may solicit handouts. We want deals. We want the kind of "Art of the Deal" spirit that secures supply chains, accelerates energy independence, builds skylines and creates thousands of jobs. For too long, Washington has viewed our region through the lens of the 1990s. It is time to look at the 2020s. Serbia is the largest economy in the Western Balkans, an anchor of stability, and a nation that remembers its friends.

To the American people and to Donald Trump, my message is simple: While others may scoff at your vision, Serbia understands it. While others may fear your strength, Serbia respects it. Our doors are open, our economy is ready and the foundations for a genuine partnership are already in place. The future of American-European cooperation doesn’t have to emerge from the stale halls of the past — it is waiting to be shaped in the heart of the Balkans.