"More complicated security than Pristina, Tirana and Zagreb"/ Vučić warns of new military purchases

2026-04-15 11:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"More complicated security than Pristina, Tirana and Zagreb"/ Vu?i?

Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? said in a post on social media that his country is facing various political pressures from the region, directly mentioning Pristina, Tirana and Zagreb, and warned of new military purchases.

"The security situation is somewhat more complex than in January, when we addressed it, mainly due to further actions and activities of the military alliance of Pristina, Tirana and Zagreb. Our commitment to maintaining peace and stability has not changed, and we can only preserve it if we are strong enough," Vu?i? wrote on Facebook.

He added that, despite these developments, Serbian institutions will continue to work to strengthen the state and protect national interests in the region.

As Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, he said he has proposed the adoption of a strategy for the robotization of these forces.

According to him, the plan includes the creation of military units equipped with robotic platforms and long-range attack drones, as well as the use of "flying" ammunition.

He also announced the training of special reconnaissance units to determine the coordinates of targets for the use of artillery and aviation, as well as the expansion of the use of drones in other parts of the army.

Vu?i? said that these measures aim to modernize and increase Serbia's military capabilities.

"In the coming days, we will sign very important contracts for the procurement of weapons and military equipment. We expect important visits and new contracts with other countries, with the aim of placing large orders for our army. I believe that in the coming period, we will raise everything we have talked about today to a higher level ," Vu?i? said.

"I think we will be one of the most interoperable and capable armies not only in our region, but also beyond," he added.

Who is Vu?i? referring to?

Last year, Kosovo and two Western Balkan countries that are part of NATO, Albania and Croatia, signed agreements to deepen cooperation in the field of defense and security.

Representatives of the three countries said at the time that they would increase the interoperability of their armies through education, training and joint exercises, as well as engage in combating hybrid threats.

They stressed that the alliance between them is not directed against anyone, but Vucic, on several occasions, described it as a threat to Serbia.

"We are preparing for their attack. They do not intend to defend themselves, but to attack. They are forming a military alliance to attack us ," Vu?i? told Radio Television of Serbia on March 12.

What capabilities does the Serbian army possess?

Although it claims military neutrality, Serbia has the most expensive army in the Western Balkans.

According to data from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2024 alone, it spent $2.2 billion - about five times more than Albania, which ranks second in the region for military spending.

Last month, Vu?i? announced the purchase of supersonic ballistic missiles from China for his air force. Thus, it became the first power in Europe to be equipped with CM-400AKG air-to-surface missiles, which have a range of hundreds of kilometers.

Serbia has in its arsenal weapons from the West, such as Rafale jets, but also from Russia, such as the MiG-29.

Joseph: Serbia is artificially creating a sense of danger

Conflict management expert Edward P. Joseph said in an interview with Radio Free Europe on April 14 that the "persistent and exaggerated alarms" in Belgrade about the Joint Security Declaration between Albania, Croatia and Kosovo are worrying.

According to him, Belgrade appears to be using this as a "pretext to arm itself and artificially create a sense of danger within the country."

"Serbia's continued armaments buildup - including the purchase of Chinese supersonic missiles - is a serious concern. What threat are these missiles intended to combat?" Joseph said.

According to him, Vu?i? is in an increasingly weakened position, due to anti-government protests, the loss of his Hungarian ally, Viktor Orban, in the elections, and criticism from the European Union for undermining the rule of law.

The European Union, which Serbia aspires to join, has repeatedly called on it to harmonize its foreign policy with that of the bloc. Failure to act has meant that Serbia has not opened any negotiation chapters since 2021. /REL