During the two-day visit, Macron and Vucic plan to discuss the deal to buy French Rafale fighter jets, energy and artificial intelligence. This is the second meeting this year between the two presidents, after the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Belgrade in May, as quoted by News.bg.
Late on Wednesday, Vucic said there were unresolved issues with the purchase of Rafale fighter jets, valued at around 3 billion euros. “It is not about the price, but about certain guarantees... we have been working on this issue for four days,” he told state television RTS.
„Such military technology is not only bought with money, but also with a pledge for a foreign policy position”, he added.
In the upcoming discussion with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Macron intends to cover a wide range of topics including the economy, healthcare, energy, culture and artificial intelligence. This approach marks a change from previous talks, which focused mainly on military cooperation and energy. The extended agenda highlights a comprehensive approach to strengthening ties between France and Serbia.
The talks are expected to conclude with the signing of a number of agreements demonstrating a concrete commitment to cooperation in various sectors. This step reflects the deepening of relations between the two nations, ready to bring mutual benefits.
Macron also discussed the concept of EU strategic autonomy, highlighting its importance in areas such as industry, critical raw materials, medicine and artificial intelligence. He highlighted the significant role of Serbia in the EU enlargement process, stressing that Serbia's integration is key to the bloc's strength and cohesion.