Serbia has sent a high-profile delegation to the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, as part of its efforts to strengthen ties with the group. Leading the delegation is Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, a well-known proponent of Serbian-Russian relations.

Vulin has consistently advocated for stronger ties with BRICS, even arguing that it represents a credible alternative to the EU. After more than two decades of working towards EU membership, Vulin has expressed doubt about Serbia’s prospects within the union, even if it were to renounce its claim over Kosovo, which is seen as one of the biggest obstacles to accession.

Vulin’s presence at the summit underscores his pro-Russian and anti-Western tendencies, shared by the leader of Bosnia's Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik. Dodik, also attending the summit, has praised BRICS as “an organisation of the future” and accused the West of trying to dominate its allies, rather than seek partnerships. 

A significant appeal of BRICS, according to Dodik and Vulin, is the absence of political conditionality. "For BRICS membership, it is not necessary to adopt laws that were written outside the borders of your country,” Vulin said in June, adding that BRICS does not compel nations “to raise the flag of Ukraine at your embassy” or “legalise same-sex marriages”.

Not all Serbian politicians share Vulin's stance on BRICS. President Aleksandar Vucic has sent mixed signals about the country’s alignment with the bloc. Despite acknowledging growing domestic support for BRICS — 42% of the population now views the group favourably, on par with the EU — Vucic is notably absent from this week’s summit.

“We have important foreign guests at that time,” Vucic said in September, as he turned down Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal invitation to attend the summit, underscoring a more cautious approach to Serbia’s involvement with BRICS.

Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic has also downplayed the idea that BRICS could replace the EU as Serbia’s primary focus. “The European road remains Serbia’s primary strategic goal,” Vucevic affirmed this month, pointing to Serbia’s deep economic ties with the EU. 

The EU remains by far Serbia’s most important economic partner. More than 59% of foreign direct investment in Serbia from 2010 to 2022 came from the EU. Germany alone accounts for €9bn in trade, nearly double that of any other foreign partner.

While abandoning its European path in favour of BRICS would make little economic sense for Serbia, the government appears to take the view that it can have its cake and eat it, exploring closer cooperation with BRICS in parallel to its EU accession bid.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov hinted that Serbia could gain “partner status” within BRICS, rather than full membership. In an interview with Serbia’s daily Politika, Ryabkov remarked that Serbia, as one of Russia’s most reliable partners in Europe, is among those who would be welcomed as partners.