Vuτςiτς: Serbia is considering buying Rafale from France

Serbia plans to buy Rafale fighter jets from France, President Aleksandar Vucic said today, a plan that experts see as the last sign of Belgrade distancing itself from its traditional military supplier and ally, Russia.

Serbia, now a candidate for EU membership, is under pressure from Europe to cut ties with Moscow. He has voted against Russia three times at the United Nations since the Russian-led invasion of Ukraine began in February.

“We have been negotiating the purchase of 12 new jets for a year and are also considering the purchase of another 12 used (western) aircraft from another country,” Vucic told Reuters. He did not specify the type of used aircraft.

“The fact that the planes are being built by France could suggest that Serbia … is disconnected from Russian military technology … is a message of closer proximity to the EU. ”

Serbia and Dassault Aviation discussed the purchase of 12 Dassault Rafale fighters, the French weekly La Tribune wrote last week.

In 2019, Serbia purchased the French Mistral surface-to-air missiles and in 2016 acquired helicopters from Airbus.

“We have an interest in this (the acquisition of Rafales), we are looking for the best way to pay for them without jeopardizing our finances,” Vucic said without elaborating.

The Serbian army relies heavily on former Soviet technology. It has MiG-29 fighters and MI-35M helicopter gunships and its air defense consists mainly of Russian missile systems and radar. Serbia’s ground forces also use Soviet T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Vucic said Belgrade is also considering purchasing additional ground attack aircraft to replace those being built in the former Yugoslavia.

“There are three countries … there is a lot of competition there,” he said.

Serbia aspires to join the EU, but refused to join NATO, which bombed it in 1999 to oust Serbian forces from Kosovo.