BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 7. Marko Đurić, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, held a meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio during his visit to the United States, Trend reports.
“The meeting took place in an excellent atmosphere. We joked that this was the summit of the two Marks. This is the first time in many years that Serbia has a wide-open space here. We discussed that the strategic dialogue between Serbia and the U.S. will begin very soon, elevating our relations to a level we have not seen in previous generations,” Đurić said after the meeting.
He emphasized that both sides are highly aware that a historic opportunity now exists to build relations, which have gone through various phases and fluctuations, on completely new foundations.
“Serbia, as an independent country conducting its foreign policy autonomously without taking orders from anyone—which is well known in the international community—appears as a natural partner to this administration, led by President Trump, which seeks to establish cooperation on fair terms with countries in our region,” said the minister.
Beyond political alignment, Đurić highlighted strong interest in deepening economic cooperation through concrete projects in energy, infrastructure, new technologies, science, education, and culture.
“I believe this is an opportunity we should seize because the administration headed by President Trump also needs allies and friends, and Serbia historically was exactly that in the true sense of the word, and I believe it can be again,” Đurić noted.
During the meeting, Serbia requested support from the U.S. government on issues important to the country.
“We asked for understanding regarding the difficulties we face concerning verdicts against Mr. Dodik and the pressures faced by Republika Srpska. Imposing decisions by unelected representatives only pours oil on the fire, as we have seen in recent days. Pressure from irresponsible politicians who want to remove those elected by the people of Republika Srpska cannot contribute to a solution,” Đurić stated.
He stressed the importance of dialogue as the only way to solve problems.
“We had the opportunity to present our views to the highest leadership of this country. Mr. Rubio went directly from our meeting to the White House. I believe that regarding Kosovo and Metohija, we managed to convey at least part of what our people on the ground face—pressures, persecution, takeover of institutions, and even that the Serbian Patriarch and the Serbian Orthodox Church experience pressures. The situation indeed requires international engagement to preserve stability,” the minister added.
Đurić said Serbia is positioned as a country firmly committed to progress and regional stability—an anchor of stability in turbulent times—and should be supported against those who seek to drag the region into new divisions.
“I think the treatment of our state representatives during this visit was a clear sign of the high respect and ambition of the U.S. government to build better relations with Serbia. I am proud, and this is one of the greatest honors I have experienced, especially as someone who recently worked here as ambassador. Along with my team, Ambassador Šutanovac, and colleagues at the embassy, I had the opportunity to work on opening this strategic dialogue,” Đurić said.
He assessed that this achievement will place Serbia in a completely different group of countries in terms of approach and treatment concerning the economy, security, and politics.
“This is a serious step forward,” the minister said, adding that it is positive this is happening during these turbulent times, considering the situation in Republika Srpska and Kosovo and Metohija.
“We need people who will listen and understand our position. That is why this mission was quite significant for me and, I would say, for our position,” Đurić emphasized.
Regarding tariffs, Đurić noted the topic was part of the discussions and expressed hope that improved political relations between Serbia and the U.S. will have a positive impact and that relevant teams will continue negotiations on this issue.
He pointed out that this is a problem affecting all countries and that Serbia will continue working on its resolution. As an example of the complexity of the issue, he cited Switzerland, which despite investing hundreds of billions in the U.S. and offering to reduce tariffs to zero, faced customs duties as high as 39%.
Đurić also stressed the importance of continued American investments in Serbia and the resolution of issues such as double taxation avoidance within the strategic dialogue framework, aiming to foster further growth of economic cooperation between Serbia and the U.S., as was the case in recent years. He also reminded that the public might not be sufficiently aware that the annual IT and software trade between the two countries is worth about one billion dollars.
Ahead of a meeting with the U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, Minister Đurić announced he would seek assistance in freeing a Serbian citizen detained in the Gaza Strip. He also noted that, with Serbia’s help, nine journalists from the American NBC network are already in the process of leaving Gaza.
During his U.S. visit, Đurić has already met with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and senior European affairs official Brendan Hanrahan to discuss several topics.
He particularly highlighted that Secretary of State Rubio conveyed a clear position that President Donald Trump and the entire U.S. administration seek better relations with Serbia. Đurić noted that this stance and the positive atmosphere permeated all conversations during his stay in Washington.
The Serbian Foreign Minister underlined that this visit is extremely significant not only for the Serbian delegation and all who have worked for years to improve relations with the U.S. but also for Serbia’s new positioning in Washington under the new administration. He described it as a continuation of what President Aleksandar Vučić initiated through talks with President Trump in the early days of his mandate.
The visit is also an important opportunity for Serbia, as the first country from the region, to start strategic cooperation with the U.S. at the beginning of the new administration’s term, Đurić stressed.
He expressed confidence that concrete results will follow in the near future. He added that it is an undeniable fact that, as a minister, he was among the first from the region to visit Washington, which shows respect and a sincere desire to improve relations and opens a new chapter in Serbian-American relations.
“Now it is Serbia’s responsibility to find a way not to miss this opportunity and to open a new chapter in Serbian-American relations together with President Trump,” concluded Marko Đurić, Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
