Serbia's leader defends right to buy weapons where he wants
Serbia's president says his country will continue arming itself with Russian, Chinese and other weapons despite fears that the Balkan country’s recent military buildup could lead to more tensions in the region
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Serbia will continue arming itself with Russian, Chinese and other weapons, its president said Tuesday, despite fears in the region and the West that the Balkan country's recent military buildup could lead to more tensions in part of Europe which is still reeling from wars fought in the 1990s.
Opening an arms fair that coincided with a two-day summit marking the 60th anniversary of the first conference of non-aligned nations, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia was a “free and independent nation” that would not seek outside opinions about where it sources weapons.
“If anyone thinks that we should ask the U.S. or the EU to decide about our weapons, let’s abolish our state,” Vucic said at the arms fair taking place at the same time as the summit commemorating the 1961 conference in Serbia's capital, Belgrade
Serbia is widely blamed for triggering a bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s with its nationalist policies. The country lately has armed itself mostly with Russian and Chinese warplanes, drones and anti-aircraft systems.
“We are a free country that wants to deter a potential aggression,” Vucic said, adding that although Serbia is on the “road to the European Union, it wants cooperation with everyone.”
Although formally seeking EU membership, Serbia has refused to align its foreign policies with the 27-nation bloc and has instead strengthened its alliance with Russia and China.
Serbia has frequently been accused of working with Slavic ally Russia to destabilize neighboring Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo. To join the EU, Serbia needs the support of all EU member nations, but the government has maintained frosty relations with fellow Balkan country Croatia, the last new member admitted into the bloc.
Vucic said that holding the summit of nations not formally aligned with NATO or other power bloc together with the arms fair at the same location was just “a coincidence.” Critics said the events were timed to offer arms to the unaligned developing nations.
Vucic said they can buy weapons at “a bargain price.”
The non-aligned movement was founded 60 years ago as a counterbalance to the power wielded by the Soviet Union and the United States. It lost much of its its influence after the end of the Cold War.