Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has positioned BRICS as a strong alternative to the European Union. In an interview with National Defense magazine, Vulin stated:

I am convinced that there is no place for Serbia in the EU, at least it has not yet made much effort to accept us as a full member.

He emphasized the advantages of BRICS, a bloc including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with six newly added countries, as a way for Serbia to align with states that “ask for nothing and can offer more than we seek, or rather, even more than we can take.”

Vulin made it clear that BRICS differs from the EU in that it imposes no political conditions on its members. He explained:

BRICS membership does not require laws to be written outside of Serbia.

He also pointed out that the bloc does not demand the recognition of Kosovo’s independence or other internal political changes. “They are not asking anything from us,” Vulin continued, highlighting BRICS’ control over 51% of the world’s gas and 47% of its oil. Serbia, he asserted, will not impose sanctions on Russia or go to war just to join the EU, noting that Serbia values cooperation based on mutual respect, neutrality, and equality.