Georgian, Serbian presidents hold expanded talks to deepen cooperation

Georgia’s President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met in Belgrade on an expanded-format basis with their respective delegations to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, officials said.

According to the Georgian presidential press service, the leaders reviewed key areas of cooperation between Georgia and the Republic of Serbia, noting that bilateral trade has been growing but that greater potential remains.

Both sides welcomed the recently activated dynamics of high-level visits, with President Kavelashvili saying that his visit at the presidential level gives additional momentum to Georgia-Serbia relations and bilateral dialogue.

The talks also covered regional cooperation and the increasing importance of the Middle Corridor in the context of changing geopolitical realities. President Kavelashvili emphasised that Georgia was working to support the development, security and effective functioning of the corridor, seen as a key link between Europe and Asia.

Kavelashvili reiterated that the Georgian government’s chosen path - focused on peace, stability and economic prosperity - remained steadfast. He highlighted Georgia’s traditional commitment to peace in the South Caucasus and its efforts to promote long-term, sustainable peace and deepen mutual trust and cooperation among neighbouring countries.

The two presidents also discussed strengthening partnerships between higher education institutions, scientific research centres, youth policy initiatives, and in areas such as innovation, technology and artificial intelligence, according to the statement.

Present at the expanded-format meeting were Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, Members of Parliament Irakli Mezurnishvili, Irma Zavradashvili and Guram Macharashvili, Georgia’s Ambassador to Serbia Levan Beridze, and representatives of the Georgian presidential administration.