Serbia’s Strategic Ambiguity as a Governing Strategy:
EU Accession, Russia, and China
Serbia’s Strategic Ambiguity as a Governing Strategy:
EU Accession, Russia, and China
Author(s): Ana Jović-LazićSubject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, International Law, Political Theory, Political Sciences, Civil Society, Governance, Economic policy, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Military policy, Welfare systems, Developing nations, Political economy, Politics and law, Politics and society, Comparative politics, Inter-Ethnic Relations, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development, Geopolitics, Politics of History/Memory, Politics and Identity, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Institute for Research and European Studies - Bitola
Keywords: Strategic Ambiguity; Serbia; EU Accession; Russia; China; Hedging; International Affairs
Summary/Abstract: Strategic ambiguity is often seen as a short-term adjustment by smaller states facing great-power rivalry. In Serbia, however, it has evolved into a stable governing strategy within the framework of European Union accession. Drawing on hedging, omnibalancing, and ontological security, this article explains how foreign policy choices are shaped by concerns about regime stability, asymmetric economic dependence, and competing identity narratives. Based on a qualitative case study combining content analysis, discourse analysis, and process tracing of key decisions, the study shows that Serbia uses strategic ambiguity to manage domestic political pressures, pace international commitments, and navigate its complex relationships with the European Union, Russia, and China, selectively complying with EU accession requirements when politically or strategically advantageous.
Journal: Journal of Liberty and International Affairs
- Issue Year: 12/2026
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 79-98
- Page Count: 20
- Language: English
