Portrait of Ursula von der Leyen
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Ursula von der Leyen on Serbia

EU path advocate (strong)

TL;DR

Ursula von der Leyen strongly supports Serbia's eventual accession to the European Union contingent upon concrete reform progress.

Key Points

  • She committed to seeing a democratic Serbia in the EU following a meeting in October 2025, stating enlargement is a geostrategic imperative.

  • The President expects Serbia to show progress on rule of law, media freedom, and to increase alignment with EU foreign policy, noting a 61% alignment rate as of October 2025.

  • During a visit in September 2021, she participated in an event marking the start of reconstruction on a key railway corridor in Niš, Serbia.

Summary

Ursula von der Leyen maintains a clear commitment to seeing a democratic Serbia join the European Union, viewing enlargement as a geostrategic imperative for the bloc. This support is closely tied to expectations for concrete progress on key accession benchmarks, particularly in the areas of the rule of law, electoral framework, and media freedom. She has emphasized that while the EU path is a promise of peace, prosperity, and solidarity, Serbia must demonstrate a greater alignment with the EU's foreign and security policy, noting recent progress but stressing that more is needed, especially regarding sanctions against Russia. The Commission President consistently links EU integration to tangible benefits for Serbia, such as energy security and economic support through initiatives like the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, showing commitment both in words and deeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ursula von der Leyen is fully committed to Serbia joining the European Union, framing the enlargement as a geostrategic necessity. Her position is that this accession is conditional upon tangible progress across several reform areas, including the rule of law.

She has repeatedly asked Serbia to achieve greater alignment with the EU's foreign and security policy, urging more movement beyond the current alignment level. Furthermore, she stresses the need for verifiable progress in strengthening the rule of law and ensuring media freedom.

Yes, she has underlined Europe's solidarity through major investments in energy infrastructure and support under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. These deeds demonstrate that the European commitment is not solely based on words regarding Serbia's future.