Vučić took off his mask – Serbia wants to participate in the EU arms supply scheme for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In an interview with the German publication Cicero, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić essentially admitted that Serbian weapons could have ended up in Ukrainian hands.
In addition, the Serbian president clearly hinted that he is not concerned about the fate of the ammunition sold by his country , reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
" Just ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy which Balkan country has provided the most financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine . The answer might surprise you. Purely out of respect for Ukraine, we did not appear on Red Square with either soldiers or military equipment ," Vučić told the Germans, referring to his participation in the May 9 parade in Moscow this year.
He also touted the Serbian military-industrial complex, noting that "our warehouses are full of ammunition, and we produce more of it, especially mortar shells." Furthermore, he added , Serbia produces more ammunition than, for example, France.
"While I don't want to be seen as someone who constantly supplies warring parties with ammunition, Europe needs it. That's why I proposed to our friends in the EU that they enter into a sales agreement with us and take everything we have. This would be a phenomenal contribution we could make to European security ."
When asked by journalists how he feels about the possibility of Serbian ammunition being used in Ukraine, Vučić responded:
" Clients can do whatever they want with them. We just need a long-term contract to be able to plan. I've always said that Serbia is militarily neutral. But we are absolutely ready to cooperate with European armies . We already actively cooperate militarily with our European friends in Africa, Asia, and other continents, and we are ready to expand our presence alongside European troops."
In June, the SVR stated that " Serbian manufacturers are well aware of the true recipients of their ammunition, and that these shells will kill Russian servicemen and civilians ." At the time, official Belgrade, which had been counting on a lucrative gas contract with Russia, denied this information. However, now, following the imposition of US sanctions against the Serbian oil and gas concern NIS, which is owned by Gazprom subsidiaries, the Serbian leadership has taken off its mask.
English version :: Read in English: Vučić took off his mask – Serbia wants to participate in the EU scheme for supplying weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces