Vučić tells Putin he will resign as Serbia’s president
Vučić informed Putin in a one-hour call that he will hand in his resignation; they also discussed a gas deal expiring on September 30, 2026 and NIS.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a one-hour phone call that he will submit his resignation as president ahead of Serbia's parliamentary and presidential vote scheduled for October 25, 2026. Vučić also thanked Russia for cooperation over the past 14 years, according to his statement.
Key issues raised in the call
Vučić said the exchange with Putin covered both his imminent resignation and bilateral matters, notably a gas arrangement that is due to expire on September 30, 2026, and questions related to Naftna industrija Srbije (NIS).
On the timing of his resignation Vučić said: "I informed him that tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, I will submit my resignation. And that's it. In any case, I believe this is an important conversation for the future of Serbia. And I am sure that those who will be presidents of the Republic of Serbia in the future will be able to look after Serbia's interests and maintain such a balance and that kind of responsibility toward all important actors in international politics," Vučić said.
Constitutional limits prevent Vučić from serving a third consecutive presidential term, but he could return to power as prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) secures victory in the October 25, 2026 elections. Officials in Belgrade have described a presidential resignation as a technical step that may be completed in the coming days.
The one-hour phone call and Vučić's statement add to an already tense pre-election period in Serbia, in which energy supply arrangements and the future ownership and management of NIS are politically sensitive topics.
Photo: press material from the event
