BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day state visit to Serbia on Thursday, focusing on the possible sale of 12 Rafale fighter jets to the country, which maintains close ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.
Macron is due to meet populist President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Thursday evening, when the deal worth 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) is expected to be announced.
An official in Macron’s office, who was asked not to be named under French presidential policy, said the fighter jet talks are part of a broader strategy to “bring Serbia closer to the EU.”
Serbia needs to modernize its fleet and the Rafale is a “strategic choice” for Belgrade, which could choose to rely solely on Russian equipment, the official said.
Serbia formally aspires to membership of the European Union, but under Vucic’s increasingly autocratic rule the country has made little progress on the rule of law and democratic reforms, key conditions for membership of the 27-nation bloc.
In a letter to the Serbian public published in local media on Thursday, Macron sought to encourage the Balkan nation to pursue its EU future, but noted that “the prospect of joining the European Union does not seem as attractive as it should be.” He cited “concerns and fatigue about the rhythm of accession negotiations, but also sometimes a kind of resentment, even mistrust” toward the EU.
“I come back to Serbia today with a simple message: the European Union and its countries need a strong and democratic Serbia in their ranks, and Serbia needs a strong and sovereign European Union to defend and promote its interests while respecting its identity,” Macron said in the letter, published in the liberal newspaper Danas.
Macron also warned that after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Serbia’s “balancing game” among world powers is an “illusion”. He said Serbia can only protect its interests and maintain its identity as part of the EU.
Serbia has been considering buying the new Rafale fighter jets for more than two years, as neighboring Croatia in the Balkans already bought 12 used fighter jets of the same type for around 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion).
The possible purchase of Rafale fighter jets would allow Serbia to modernize its air force, which consists mainly of Soviet MiG-29 fighters and aging Yugoslav fighter jets.
Russia has traditionally supplied Serbia with military aircraft, including attack helicopters. Serbia has refused to join international sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
The rapid arming of the Serbian army has worried some neighbouring countries after the bloody break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Serbia is almost completely surrounded by NATO member states.
The sale of Rafales to Russia’s ally Serbia, which has occasionally been aggressive toward its Balkan neighbors, has raised concerns, including how France plans to prevent advanced Rafale technology from being shared with Russia.
Asked if there would be a clause limiting the use of the Rafales, the French official replied: “In every contract there are clauses that create a framework for the use of such equipment.”
Macron’s talks with Vucic will include simmering tensions in the Balkans, particularly in the former Serbian province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.
Macron’s itinerary also includes a visit to a museum and an economic forum on artificial intelligence in the northern city of Novi Sad on Friday. Also on the agenda is a possible agreement with French energy supplier EDF on cooperation on nuclear power plant technology.
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AP journalists Angela Charlton in Paris and Jovana Gec in Belgrade contributed to this story.
