Serbia's signing of an agreement to purchase French fighter jets “Rafal" (Rafale) will not have a negative impact on relations between Belgrade and Moscow, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin told TASS.
“The purchase of “Rafal“ it was done for military and practical reasons and will in no way have a negative impact on the relations between Serbia and the Russian Federation. Serbia remains militarily neutral and will not join the anti-Russian hysteria or any form of anti-Russian sanctions, Vulin stressed.
On August 29, during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Serbia, an agreement was signed for the purchase of 12 Rafale fighter jets. and the accompanying equipment and services worth 2.7 billion euros.
Agence France-Presse reported on the day of the deal that the French fighters will replace the aging fleet of Russian "MiG" of the Serbian Air Force and that Belgrade is expected to receive 9 single and 3 two-seater aircraft of this type by 2029.
President Emmanuel Macron hailed the purchase as a "strategic shift".
"This is a real change," he said in response to a question about Serbia's friendly relations with Russia - Belgrade never imposed sanctions on Moscow after the war in Ukraine, recalls AFP. "This is an opportunity for strategic change despite the great pressure, we must emphasize. This is real strategic courage and an opportunity for Europe," said the French president during his two-day visit to Serbia.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin is openly pro-Russian. He was director of Serbia's Intelligence Service (BIA) until November 2023. In July 2023, the US imposed sanctions on Vulin for alleged corruption and involvement in drug trafficking, as well as ties to Russia. The ruling, Radio Free Europe reported at the time, stated that Vulin had used his public positions to support Russia.