As of August 7, the United States reinstated 35% tariffs on Serbian goods, placing Serbia alongside countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, which face customs duties between 30% and 40 percent. Despite the tariffs, Serbian officials have remained largely silent on the issue. Foreign Minister Marko Đurić met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio a day before the tariffs were introduced, but neither addressed the matter publicly. The U.S. State Department’s statement focused on sanctions against Russia, while Đurić spoke about “strategic partnership” and even suggested that Donald Trump visit Serbia, without mentioning customs duties.
Former Serbian ambassador to the U.S., Milan St. Protić, criticized the government for its inability to negotiate with Washington. He stated that Serbia’s low international reputation and inconsistent foreign policy — including positions on Srebrenica, Russia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina — prevent it from achieving favorable agreements. Protić emphasized that the U.S. has already delayed sanctions against NIS, the Russian-owned oil company, showing leniency, but Serbia’s dependence and lack of strategic vision leave it in a weak bargaining position.
Career diplomat Srećko Đukić echoed these concerns, arguing that Serbia’s foreign policy relies too much on optimism and personal connections rather than realistic assessments. He noted that the current government tends to take shortcuts, favoring appearances and optimism over substantive actions. Đukić explained that projecting a strong international reputation requires careful planning and consistency, which has been lacking in recent years.
Both experts agree that Serbia’s claims of strategic partnership with the U.S., Russia, and China are largely symbolic. To become a true strategic partner, Đukić argued, Serbia would need to take concrete actions that reflect mutual interests, such as offering military cooperation or aligning with international alliances like NATO. Without such measures, discussions of strategic dialogue remain superficial and fail to improve Serbia’s negotiating position on issues like the reinstated U.S. tariffs.
