Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić held talks with renowned US economist Jeffrey Sachs in Belgrade on June 18, 2026, covering major international economic and security challenges, Serbia’s technological ambitions, and the country’s position amid complex geopolitical circumstances. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the inaugural “Horizons Forum” on Sustainability and Connectivity, organized by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS), which brought together leading global economists to discuss the future of global growth and development.
The discussion touched on several themes that have defined Vučić’s presidency, preserving political stability, maintaining independent decision making, and accelerating economic development through technology. Sachs, a Columbia University professor and former adviser to the United Nations, has been an increasingly visible figure in Serbian policy circles. In December 2025, he advised Serbia to “wait” for a potential agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, suggesting that such a deal would allow Belgrade to “breathe a sigh of relief” and resume normal trade relations with Moscow without Western pressure. He also urged Serbia to strengthen ties with Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, states he described as sympathetic to cooperation with Russia, and explicitly advised against cutting ties with Russia, China, or India.
Vučić’s emphasis on artificial intelligence and new technologies aligns with his broader vision of transforming Serbia into a regional tech hub. In February 2026, he announced ambitious plans for Serbia to become the first European country to produce humanoid robots, through a partnership with Chinese firms AGIBOT Innovation and Minth Group. The project envisions up to 50 “data factories” by 2030, with an initial investment of approximately €100 million, and has raised eyebrows in Brussels and Washington given Serbia’s deepening defense ties with Beijing. China already accounts for 57% of Serbia’s arms imports, and Vučić has openly discussed acquiring armed humanoid robots for military use.
The meeting with Sachs also reflects Vučić’s careful diplomatic balancing. While pursuing EU membership, Serbia has resisted aligning with Western sanctions on Russia and has cultivated increasingly close ties with China. Sachs has previously echoed Vučić’s skepticism of Western policy, notably agreeing with the Serbian president’s assessment that the 1999 NATO bombing aimed to “break Serbia.”For Vučić, who has announced plans to resign the presidency within three to four months while potentially seeking the prime minister’s office, the forum offers a platform to project Serbia as a technologically ambitious, strategically independent actor in a multipolar world. Whether that positioning can satisfy both Brussels and Belgrade’s other partners remains the central question of his political legacy.
