Vucic: Phone call with Trump a great honour, success for Serbia

BAKU - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday he had been one of the first 10 to 15 world leaders to speak with US President-elect Donald Trump following his victory in the November 5 US presidential elections, and noted that Sunday's phone call with Trump was a great honour and success for Serbia that would mean much for advancement of Serbia-US relations.

"It is a great honour for our small country, a big success for our country. I did not do it because it is a big success for me personally - it is a big success for our country. I hope Serbia will be doing better as a result. We are working for Serbia, to improve our relations with the US and to make progress in those relations and preserve and advance the economy," Vucic told reporters in Baku, where he will be attending the UN climate change summit, COP29, on Monday and Tuesday.

Americans conduct discussions with world leaders they respect, Vucic said, adding that Elon Musk and Chris Ruddy, "who is perhaps the most familiar with the situation in Serbia," had also taken part in the conversation.

Asked by foreign journalists about his take on Trump's election win, Vucic responded he believed it was important for the US and that Trump's victory would bring hope to the world.

When asked by Serbian reporters to comment on a lack of reaction to his phone call with Trump in regional media outlets even though he was constantly a target for them, Vucic said that a ferocious anti-Serbian campaign had been underway in the region since Trump's election win.

"A ferocious anti-Serbian campaign is underway in Pristina, in Podgorica-based media outlets that have been laid bare as anti-Serbian and in the anti-Serb media outlets in Sarajevo and Zagreb. I find it strange that none of you have perceived that," Vucic said.