Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic hosted a diplomatic dinner with the prime ministers of Poland and Greece, Donald Tusk and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in Belgrade on October 23.

This is the latest event in a series of high-profile visits to the Serbian capital, as the country intensifies its diplomatic efforts ahead of key discussions on its European Union membership.

The dinner comes on the heels of several significant state visits to Serbia this year, including China's President Xi Jinping in May, France's Emmanuel Macron in August and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month.

President Vucic has boasted about the scale of his diplomatic engagements: “In September and October alone, I have spoken with more than 50 world presidents and prime ministers. So far, I have already met with 71 leaders from across the globe, and by November 23, that number will exceed 90.”

The talks with Tusk, scheduled for October 24, are expected to focus on Serbia's ongoing efforts to join the European Union, as Poland prepares to assume the EU Council presidency in January 2025. Tusk’s visit is part of a broader engagement by EU leaders, underscoring the bloc's renewed interest in the Western Balkans.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to arrive in Belgrade on October 25. Following meetings with Vucic and Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, von der Leyen will continue her tour of the region, which includes stops in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo.

"The focus is mainly on the enlargement process, growth plans, and partnerships with the Western Balkans," von der Leyen said in Brussels on October 18.

This visit comes just days after the European Commission approved reform agendas for all Western Balkan countries—excluding Bosnia —unlocking access to €6bn in EU loans and grants.

Serbia, which formally applied for EU membership in 2009, remains a key player in the region's integration efforts. However, its accession process has been complicated by ongoing tensions with Kosovo and its balancing of relations between Russia and the West.