On Wednesday, Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister, held discussions with Sergey Naryshkin, the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, as reported by Koha.
The Serbian government reported on October 16 that Vulin and Naryshkin focused on enhancing and solidifying the collaboration between the security agencies of Serbia and Russia.
According to the government statement, Naryshkin acknowledged Vulin's contributions, emphasizing how his roles as Minister of Defense, Minister of Internal Affairs, and director of the Security and Information Agency (BIA) have positively impacted the relationship between the intelligence services of both nations.
In response, Vulin expressed gratitude to the Russian intelligence chief for the "reliable and consistently secure partnership" and for Russia's support towards Serbia.
Beyond his meeting with Naryshkin, Vulin is scheduled to engage with other Russian officials and will participate in a reception at the Serbian Embassy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Belgrade's liberation from German occupation during World War II.
Vulin is regarded as one of the strongest proponents of the Kremlin within Serbia's political landscape. He previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, where he affirmed Serbia's status as not just a strategic partner, but also an ally of Russia.
Earlier this year, Vulin received accolades from the President of Russia and the Federal Security Service.
Notably, Vulin is on the US State Department's sanctions list due to his connections with Russia and allegations of corruption during his leadership of the BIA. He stepped down from that role in November 2023 amid persistent pressure from Western nations and was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia in early May.
Serbia and Russia have a longstanding tradition of close ties. Serbia is among the few European countries that have declined to impose sanctions on the Kremlin in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
