Russia Presses Belgrade After Vucic’s Remarks on Selling Ammunition to EU

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has criticized Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic after his recent remarks to a German publication about selling ammunition to European Union countries, accusing him of sending mixed messages depending on the audience.

During a briefing in Moscow, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on Vucic’s interview with the German magazine Cicero, in which he said Serbia was prepared to sell ammunition to EU states, noting that once delivered, buyers could decide for themselves how to use it. Zakharova said Moscow expects Belgrade to strictly uphold the commitments it has made regarding arms exports, particularly those ensuring that Serbian-made weapons will not reach Ukraine.

In his interview, Vucic stated that Serbia’s warehouses were “full of ammunition” and that he was open to supplying European armies. He emphasized that while he did not wish to appear as someone who constantly provides weapons to countries at war, European states currently need such supplies. “That is why I have offered our friends in the EU the opportunity to conclude a purchase contract with us and take from everything we have,” he told Cicero. When asked whether this ammunition could be used by Ukraine, Vucic responded that “buyers can do whatever they want with it,” provided there is a long-term contract in place.

Reacting to those comments, Zakharova highlighted what she described as inconsistencies in Vucic’s public statements. According to her, the Serbian president’s tone and wording differ significantly between interviews given in Moscow and those made elsewhere in Europe. She called on Vucic’s press service to clarify any possible inaccuracies or misunderstandings that may have arisen from the media coverage.

Zakharova also reminded journalists of the repeated assurances Russia says it has received from Serbian authorities - that ammunition exports from Serbia are under strict government control and that no Serbian weapons would be delivered to Ukraine or used against Russian troops. She stressed that Moscow rejects even the suggestion that Serbian arms could find their way to the front lines of the conflict.