The European Commission has urged Belgrade to strengthen the visa policy regarding Russian citizens in the context of Serbia’s European integration. This is part of the EU’s efforts to align Serbia’s visa regime with European standards and tighten checks when granting citizenship to foreigners.
In particular, this concerns the issuing of Serbian citizenship to Russians, which could effectively grant them visa-free access to the EU. Such steps pose security risks for the EU, the European Commission’s report emphasizes.
In the 2025 report, the European Commission notes that Serbia’s visa policy partially aligns with the European list of third countries whose citizens require a visa to enter.
Context of the European Commission’s report and future steps
As previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, during which they discussed European integration plans, bilateral cooperation, and issues of regional security.
In the context of these discussions, the issue of Serbia’s visa policy remains one of the key elements in Serbia’s relations with the EU and neighboring countries, where regional stability is crucial for the country’s ongoing move toward EU integration.