SERBIAN President Aleksandar Vucic acknowledged on Monday that he mistakenly voted in favor of a United Nations resolution condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, attributing the error to exhaustion.
Vucic, who is generally seen as pro-Russian, said he had intended to abstain from the vote, joining 65 other nations.
Instead, Serbia backed the resolution, which labels Moscow as the aggressor and demands a full military withdrawal from Ukraine.
“I believe that Serbia made a mistake today. I apologize to the citizens of Serbia for that, and I take the blame because I was probably tired and overwhelmed,” Vucic told one reliable source.
He added that he had too many responsibilities and “didn’t have time” to focus on the vote.
Russia, however, quickly accepted Vucic’s apology. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said, “Of course, we heard it. Of course, we accepted it.
Indeed, technical errors do happen, and such a prompt reaction from the head of state is very appealing to us.”
Serbia remains one of Russia’s closest allies in Europe, alongside Belarus.
Meanwhile, the UN vote drew further attention as the United States joined 18 other nations in opposing the Ukrainian resolution.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that President Trump is committed to brokering a “lasting peace” rather than a temporary ceasefire.
The incident highlights the diplomatic complexities surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war and Serbia’s delicate balancing act between its Western ties and historical connections with Moscow.