Serbia sold ammunition to the European Union. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands explanations
— Serbia has repeatedly assured Russia that its ammunition will not fall into Ukrainian hands. Therefore, Vucic's comments require an official explanation from Belgrade, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
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Why does Russia demand explanations from Serbia?
What did the President of Serbia say about the sale of ammunition?
What is Serbia's position on Ukraine?
Has Serbia sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine?
On October 30, the German political and cultural magazine “Cicero” published an interview with the president of Serbia, in which Vucic expressed his readiness to sell larger amounts of ammunition to the EU and stated that he had no objections if it went to Ukraine.
— Serbia is ready to offer its friends in Europe everything it has, and this is a phenomenal contribution to European security, Vucic said in an interview for “Cicero”.
Earlier, commenting on the article, Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said that Russia understands “what unprecedented pressure is being exerted on Serbia” and described the issue of Serbian weapons exports as “not a simple matter at all.”
At the end of May, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service criticized Serbia for exporting ammunition to Ukraine “contrary to its declared neutrality.” Vucic assured in response that the authorities in Belgrade would stop domestic arms exports to areas affected by military operations.
Serbia's position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
After Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022, Serbia accepted thousands of Ukrainian refugees, repeatedly condemned Russian aggression and sent humanitarian aid to Kiev. Belgrade also supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine – within the borders that include the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.
At the same time, the Serbian government maintains contacts with Russia and refuses to join the sanctions imposed on this country. In May this year, President Vucic went to Moscow to celebrate the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. He also officially met with the leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for the first time since 2022. Previously, the President of Serbia met several times with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
