Belgrade, 30 August 2024 (TDI): Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced a $3 billion deal on Thursday to purchase 12 French Rafale fighter jets, marking a significant shift from Serbia’s traditional reliance on Russian military equipment.
The deal was unveiled during a joint press conference in Belgrade with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a two-day visit to Serbia.
Macron described the agreement as “historic and important,” praising Serbia’s “strategic courage” and emphasizing the importance of Serbia’s role in the European Union.
“The European Union needs a strong and democratic Serbia, and Serbia needs a strong, sovereign Europe,” Macron stated. “Serbia’s place is in the EU, and it has a role to play as an example for the region.”
Despite formally seeking EU membership, Serbia has made limited progress on essential democratic reforms under Vucic’s increasingly autocratic leadership.
The Rafale deal comes amid concerns about how France will ensure that advanced technology does not fall into Russian hands, given Serbia’s historical ties with Moscow.
After meeting with Macron in Belgrade, Serbia’s Russian backed militant autocrat Vucic confirms his regime will purchase 12 French Rafale fighters, valued at €2.7 billion. So much for Macron’s commitments to Ukraine; he’s arming Putin’s chief Balkan ally. https://t.co/jopNLqLWRB
— Jasmin Mujanović (@JasminMuj) August 29, 2024
Deal Includes ‘Full Guarantees’
Macron reassured that the deal includes “full guarantees,” though specifics were not disclosed. Serbia has long been a customer of Russian military technology and has abstained from international sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Vucic emphasized the strategic significance of the Rafale purchase, stating it would greatly enhance Serbia’s military capabilities.
“For the first time in history, Serbia has Western jets,” Vucic remarked, addressing Western concerns about potential technology transfers to Russia. “You wish to have Serbia as a partner and then you voice suspicions?”
Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of the Rafale jets, hailed the sale as a testament to the aircraft’s operational excellence and its suitability for national defense.
The acquisition will modernize Serbia’s air force, which currently relies heavily on Soviet-era MiG-29s and outdated Yugoslav combat aircraft. Serbia had been contemplating this purchase for over two years, particularly after neighboring Croatia acquired a similar fleet of used Rafale jets for approximately €1 billion ($1.1 billion).
