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Army: why the sale of 12 Rafale to Serbia is controversial
Emmanuel Macron has signed the sale of 12 Rafale aircraft to Serbia, worth 2.7 billion euros. A controversial deal, due to the Balkan state’s proximity to Russia.
(France 2)
Emmanuel Macron has signed the sale of 12 Rafale aircraft to Serbia, worth 2.7 billion euros. A controversial deal, due to the Balkan state’s proximity to Russia.
The purchase of 12 Rafale fighter jets is an event for Serbia, a country with contested alliances. Emmanuel Macron is aware of this. “It’s an opening, a strategic change despite a lot of pressure”he said on this subject. Serbia is indeed a special customer: its army is glorified on all the streets of Belgrade. On other banners, one can read hostility towards NATO.
The country of more than 6 million inhabitants is landlocked in the European Union, which it wants to join. Its sponsor, however, remains Russia. The Serbian president is playing a double game: he willingly appears with Vladimir Putin and refuses to apply sanctions against Moscow.
If until now its military equipment was mainly Russian, since the war in Ukraine, deliveries have ceased, hence its contract with France. “Selling Rafales, ultimately, is betting that Serbia will first prioritize joining the European Union, which is by no means certain”analyzes the director of the Jacques Delors Institute, Sylvie Matelly.
Could these French planes one day serve the Russian camp? The manufacturer Dassault, which has not sold Belgrade any very long-range Meteor missiles, wants to be reassuring, like most experts. The contract will bring in more than 3 billion euros to France.
