Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was briefly hospitalised in Belgrade on May 3 after abruptly cutting short a visit to the United States due to health concerns.

Vucic returned to Serbia from Miami on May 3, after reporting chest pain during his trip. He was admitted to the Military Medical Academy (MMA) in Belgrade for evaluation and discharged later the same day.

“President Vucic is in stable condition,” said Colonel Dincic, head of the Serbian army's health directorate, adding that the president experienced “intense chest pain” while in the US and was found to have high blood pressure.

Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali told state broadcaster RTS that Vucic “told me he was feeling better” after leaving the MMA.

Vucic had planned high-level meetings with US Republican officials and expressed hope of meeting President Donald Trump during the visit. Serbian media reported that he met with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and Serbian-American business leaders.

Richard Grenell, Trump’s special envoy, wished Vucic well, writing on X: “Sorry to miss you but hope all is ok.”

Opposition figures in Serbia, however, accused Vucic of using health concerns as a cover for a diplomatic failure.

Dragan Djilas, leader of the opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), claimed Vucic’s sudden return was not due to illness but because “he could not meet with the US President, Donald Trump”.

Zdravko Ponos, a former presidential candidate and head of the Serbia Centre party, said, “He’s covering up his fiasco with a story about a sudden health problem forcing him to rush back to Belgrade. There are no medicines in pharmacies in America.”

Deputy SSP leader Borko Stefanovic called the trip a “complete fiasco,” saying Vucic “did not see anyone there” and questioned the purpose of what he labelled a “pointless trip to Miami”.

The incident has also cast uncertainty over Vucic’s upcoming visit to Russia for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, an event he previously confirmed he would attend despite warnings from the European Union.

Vucic had stated he would travel to Moscow “even if the sky falls on his head”, reaffirming his commitment to Russia, Serbia’s traditional ally. EU officials have warned that participation in the Kremlin-led commemoration could undermine Serbia’s EU accession aspirations due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Mali told RTS that he could not confirm whether Vucic would attend the Moscow event, but added, “knowing him… I assume that he will keep his word.”

Vucic’s potential attendance at the parade remains politically sensitive, as Serbia seeks to balance its long-standing ties with Russia against its goal of joining the European Union.