Camilla Jessen
Aleksandar Vucic pushes back on allegations from Moscow.
Serbia will crack down on weapons exports if it discovers that ammunition ends up in Ukraine, President Aleksandar Vucic said in a televised interview on May 27. His pledge comes in response to accusations from Russia that Serbian weapons have reached Kyiv despite Belgrade’s official stance of military neutrality.
“I will definitely give an order and a warning that in case of suspicion of misuse by end users and sending to battlefields without our knowledge, such contracts will not be fulfilled,” Vucic said on Radio Television of Serbia.
The statement followed allegations from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), which claims Serbian arms manufacturers are supplying Ukraine using forged end-user certificates and third-party buyers. SVR named countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, and unnamed African nations as intermediaries.
Moscow and Belgrade to Investigate Together
Vucic acknowledged the complexity of Serbia’s arms trade and revealed that he had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the claims—both during official meetings and privately. The two sides have now agreed to form a joint working group to investigate the allegations and “establish the facts,” Vucic said.
“Some of the things that are being said are simply not true,” he insisted.
He also responded to criticism that Serbia has sent arms to Russia via Turkish firms.
“If we cannot export to America, Turkey, Arab countries, then, excuse me, where can we export weapons?” Vucic asked.
A Delicate Balancing Act
While denying that Serbia supplies weapons directly to either side in the war, Vucic admitted the scale of arms sales to Western countries.
He described recent reports—including one from the Financial Times citing €800 million in Serbian ammunition reaching Ukraine—as “generally accurate.”
He stressed that while Serbia honors its contracts with Western buyers, it cannot control what those countries do with the weapons afterward.
“My job is to ensure that we handle our ammunition legally, that we sell it,” he said. “I have to take care of my people, and that’s all I can say. We have friends in Kyiv and in Moscow. These are our Slavic brothers.”
Between Neutrality and Realpolitik
Serbia has maintained a policy of military neutrality since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, refusing to join Western sanctions against Russia while still pursuing EU membership.
“The Russians have a good proverb: ‘The more you wash, the blacker the crow.’ So here, when you are a self-sufficient country, everyone attacks us,” Vucic said.