Serbia isn't too important in terms of GDP, population, or military power. But a significant amount of EU trade passes through Serbia, and migrants from the Middle East use Serbia as a route to reach the EU. Since the EU has blocked Serbian accession largely over the Kosovo issue, both Russia and China are now trying to pull Serbia into their spheres of influence in order to gain more leverage over Europe.

The population of Serbia is generally pretty cynical about their government and doesn't believe the rhetoric. But they do believe in all sorts of conspiracy theories about manipulation by shadowy foreign powers.