Serbia wants EU membership by 2025 to reach a deal with Kosovo

BELGRADE, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he would seek a guarantee the country would join the European Union in 2025 as part of any deal with neighboring Kosovo which would pave the way for both states to join the bloc.

Serbia and its former province Kosovo committed to an EU-mediated dialogue to improve relations and resolve all outstanding issues between them in 2013, but little progress has been made since then.

"If we ever reach an agreement (with Pristina), Serbia would need to get clear guarantees that it would become EU member state in 2025," Vucic told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.