November the 6th, 2026 – Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić has told Americans during his visit to the USA that Serbia under Aleksandar Vučić was southeastern Europe’s biggest issue.
Defence Minister Ivan Anušić stated during an official visit to the United States of America that Serbia under the leadership of Aleksandar Vučić was the biggest source of instability in southeastern Europe. Index reports that he added that the new Serbian authorities must very clearly distance themselves from the Greater Serbian policies of the 1990s. Anušić was recently at Harvard University upon the invitation of the former US ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes. At the Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs which took place there, he participated in a seminar on the security situation across southeastern Europe, where he commented on the recent elections in Serbia in which Vučić’s regime was finally overthrown.
serbia’s new leadership must make a clean break from the greater serbian policies of the 1990s
In his presentation, the defence minister emphasised that the new authorities in Belgrade, which are yet to be formed after the parliamentary elections held on 25 October, must renounce the previous political direction if they want peace and cooperation in the region. “Serbia under the leadership of Aleksandar Vučić was the biggest source of instability in southeastern Europe. In the interest of peace and stability, the new Serbian authorities must very clearly distance themselves from the Greater Serbian policies of Aleksandar Vučić, that is, from those of Slobodan Milošević from the 1990s,” Anušić stated, speaking about the political changes that in addition to Serbia also include the recent change of government in neighbouring Hungary.
security in bosnia and herzegovina is crucial
Speaking about Croatia’s specific role, Anušić pointed out that the country within the European Union and NATO is a guardian of stability that supports the Euro-Atlantic path of neighbouring countries. In doing so he particularly emphasised the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the continuation of the American military presence in Kosovo as part of the KFOR mission.
“For Croatia the stability of southeastern Europe is of national interest, and especially the preservation of stability and peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is of key importance for the security of our entire neighbourhood,” the minister said. Anušić also commented on the ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasising the need for the continuation of military and political assistance to Kyiv and recalling that Ukraine with its defence is already almost in the fifth year keeping the conflict away from the borders of the rest of the continent.
