BELGRADE, Serbia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced Tuesday that Serbia will sign a contract with the United Arab Emirates within two days on the purchase of suicide drones.
Vucic’s remarks came in Abu Dhabi, where he was attending the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX).
“Within 48 hours, we will sign the first contract with the UAE on the purchase of their suicide drones, and they will arrive in the territory of the Republic of Serbia very soon,” he said.
Speaking about Serbia’s exports of military products, Vucic said that 30% of everything produced domestically must stay in Serbia.
“Our army and our country must come first. At least 30% of everything made in Serbia must stay in Serbia,” he said. “We can only sell what we can spare. Everyone wants to fight. Everyone is getting ready for war.”
“Our army has a priority. We have not started any war. We will not go to war unless we are attacked, and as far as weapons are concerned, I am most interested in our army and then how much we will earn,” he said.
He also said that they are continuing negotiations with the French for the purchase of Rafale warplanes.
He added that by the end of the year, 40 tanks at the disposal of the armed forces will be modernized.
According to Vucic, an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine will further complicate Serbia’s position in the political and military sense.