Donald Trump shared on his platform "Truth Social" a piece about Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic - a gesture read in Belgrade as a sign that Washington-Serbia relations have never been better. The piece relayed Vucic's words that support for America in Serbia "suddenly shot up" under the current American administration.

Vucic went further - he invited Trump to visit Belgrade. He stressed that the mood among Serbian citizens has changed, even though memories of the 1999 NATO bombing remain deeply embedded. And that is exactly where the real story lies: how in one generation the number one enemy becomes a welcome guest.

This is not the first time Trump has amplified Vucic's message - he previously shared an interview of his from late May. Every such share is welcomed in Belgrade as a diplomatic trophy, proof that Serbia is sitting at the right table. But it is worth asking - when the powerful man quotes you, is that a partnership among equals, or just a useful statement that serves him in the moment?

For the Balkans, the game is familiar. Small states often measure their success by how much attention they get from the big ones, and a single social-media share turns into front-page news. The question rarely asked is what the ordinary citizen concretely gets from that warmth between leaders - a better life, or just the feeling that someone big has finally noticed them. The diplomacy of compliments looks lovely on screen, but its value is measured only when it turns into something tangible.