Vladislav Jovanović, a Serbian diplomat and politician who served as Yugoslavia’s foreign minister during the 1990s crises, died Feb. 21, 2026. He was 92. The cause of death was not disclosed.
He began his diplomatic career in 1957 at Yugoslavia’s foreign ministry. His early postings included Brussels from 1960 to 1964, Ankara from 1967 to 1971, and London from 1975 to 1979.
In the 1990s, Jovanović served two mandates as foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a period marked by wars, sanctions and major international negotiations. He also led multiple Yugoslav delegations in peace and other international talks during that decade.
Jovanović later served as Yugoslavia’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, representing the country in debates that included sanctions, Bosnia, Kosovo and the NATO intervention. In later interviews, he described work at the U.N. Security Council as a “fight for every word” in resolutions, saying even small wording changes could carry serious political and legal consequences.
His family announced his death. Further details were not released.