Emmanuel Macron in Serbia: purchase of twelve Rafale fighter jets, EU membership… what we know about the President’s press conference

Serbia signed the purchase of twelve Rafale fighter jets on Thursday under the watchful eye of French President Emmanuel Macron, who was visiting Belgrade to finalize several economic agreements with this Balkan country that maintains friendly ties with Russia.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he was “grateful” to “join the prestigious Rafale club”. The French fighter-bombers are to replace the Serbian Air Force's aging fleet of Russian MiGs, and are to be delivered to Serbia by 2029.

2.7 billion euros

Belgrade is buying nine single-seat Rafales and three two-seaters for 2.7 billion euros, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said just after the signing.

Greeted as he exited the plane by his counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who is making the trip despite the political crisis in France where he must appoint a new Prime Minister, also attended the signing of several agreements on waste treatment and rare materials.

A sensitive issue

The Rafale issue is sensitive: Belgrade, a candidate for membership in the European Union, maintains relations with Moscow despite the invasion of Ukraine, and has not imposed sanctions on Russia since the start of the war in 2022.

At AFP, President Vucic argued that almost all of the Serbian “interceptor planes” and “all” of the Serbian “interceptor planes” were”fighter planes came from Russia”. “We have to evolve, change our habits and everything else in order to prepare our army”, he said.

“Cooperate with a European country”

France also puts forward this argument, evoking a logic “of anchoring Serbia to the European Union”. Serbia's purchase of 12 Rafale fighter jets is a “strategic shift” hailed French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday during a visit to Belgrade.

If France does not take the place “for example with Rafales” of the Russian planes used in Serbia, “this enclave in the middle of the European Union will become an entry point for instability on our continent and for all authoritarian regimes from Russia to China”, Jean-Noël Barrot, the resigning minister for Europe, added on France Info radio on Thursday morning.

“It's a real change”, Mr. Macron said when asked about Serbia's friendly ties with Russia – Belgrade has never imposed sanctions on Moscow since the war in Ukraine. “It's an opening for strategic change despite a lot of pressure, which must be emphasized. This is real strategic courage and an opportunity for Europe,”, Mr Macron continued.

“Consolidating the rule of law”

For Vuk Vuksanovic, from the Centre for Security Policy, a think tank in the Serbian capital, “Vucic is looking for a solution to replace his ageing MiGs”. “If he doesn't find one, neighbouring Croatia, with its own Rafales, will have air superiority in the Western Balkans. And Vucic's ego cannot accept this,”, he explains.

“Furthermore, he believes that by buying these Rafales, which are an extremely expensive product of the French arms industry, he will buy the political protection and favors of President Macron,”. The two countries have not discussed any counterparts to the transaction.

Serbia has “all its place” within the EU

France officially supports Serbia's EU accession process, which is being championed by Aleksandar Vucic despite concerns expressed among the population. In a letter published in the Serbian press on Thursday, Mr. Macron reiterated that Serbia had “its place” within the European Union.

“I return to Serbia today with a simple message: the European Union and its Member States need a strong and democratic Serbia at their side and Serbia needs a strong and sovereign European Union”, writes the President.

Relations with Kosovo

Eight months after Serbian parliamentary elections marred by fraud according to the OECD and the Parliament European, won by the presidential party, the Elysée believes that this accession process must push Belgrade to “consolidate the rule of law”.

Emmanuel Macron should also advocate the “normalization of relations with Kosovo”, “integral part” of this “rapprochement” with the Twenty-Seven. Since Kosovo's independence in 2008, which Serbia has never recognized unlike many Western countries, attempts at appeasement and dialogue have failed. On Friday, Mr. Macron and Mr. Vucic are expected in Novi Sad, the country's second city.