Vucic: Serbia Halts All Ammunition Exports

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced yesterday that Serbia had discontinued the export of ammunition from the country.

The comments came during a press conference after the Serbian president was asked by reporters if Serbia would be supporting a side in the Israel-Iranian conflict. 

“We are not exporting anything now. We have stopped everything now, and there must be special and specific decisions if anything is going to work. So we will see how and what we will do next, in accordance with Serbia’s interests,” said Vucic, according to the  Balkan Service of Radio Free Liberty/ Radio Europe.

Serbia had previously exported ammunition to Israel following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas. 

“Since we saw it, it appeared in Ukraine (ammunition), it appeared from both sides, [and] both sides are complaining. To change something, I can only do it this way - [that is] to say, all ammunition for a while [will] only [be] in our barracks,” the Serbian leader continued.

Russia had been particularly critical of Serbia for its export of ammunition and weapons to Ukraine. Last month, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Serbia of “an attempt to stab Russia in the back.”

The SVR alleges that two Serbian companies sold components for mortar shells and rockets for multiple rocket launcher systems (MLRS) through Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, which are then assembled and sent on to Ukraine, according to the Serbian Times.

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Vucic has attempted to balance his relationship with Brussels, Moscow, and China, pursuing EU integration while recently attending Russia’s May 9th military parade, against stern warnings from Europe. 

Vucic’s recent visit to Odesa on June 11 for the Ukraine Southeast Europe Summit marked the first visit by a Serbian leader to Ukraine since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion.