[Vucic's Dilemma: Discontent from Both the West and Russia]
On May 29, Serbian President Vucic denied the Russian accusation that "Serbia has transported weapons and ammunition to Ukraine through a third country."
When discussing Western criticism of Serbia's close relations with Russia and Moscow's accusation that "Belgrade still transports ammunition to Kyiv through intermediary countries," Vucic stated that he had discussed this issue separately with Russian President Putin. "Some of these claims are inconsistent with the facts. For example, Russia claimed that Serbia had agreements with the Czech Republic, but no permits were approved by the Czech side, and not a single missile was transported."
He emphasized that Serbia is often attacked due to its "independence," but the defense industry needs to continue operating: "About 24,000 people are directly engaged in the defense manufacturing sector, and they rely on this industry. Currently, our weapon exports are only used to equip our own army."
Vucic sarcastically referred to those who previously accused him of being a "Russian spy," now claiming his "change of stance": "No, gentlemen, we only work for the interests of Serbia."
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service said on the same day that Serbian defense enterprises have violated Belgrade's declared "neutral position" by continuing to transport ammunition to Ukraine through NATO countries (such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria). In 2023, leaked Pentagon documents accused Serbia of military aid to Ukraine, which Vucic denied at the time and emphasized that the export contracts of Serbia explicitly prohibited the resale of weapons to Ukraine.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833504908856320/
Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.