French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Serbia to strengthen ties with the Balkan country and advance its EU membership bid. During the two-day visit, Macron and his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, will discuss the potential purchase of France’s Rafale fighters, among other issues like energy and artificial intelligence. Macron emphasized in an op-ed that Serbia’s independent posture can only be maintained under the EU’s auspices.
Serbia’s strategic position between the east and west was underscored by President Xi Jinping’s visit earlier this year. The country remains heavily dependent on Russian gas, but is looking to diversify its energy supplies. The potential purchase of Rafale aircraft is seen as a move away from Russian influence and towards closer ties with the West.
Before Serbia can join the EU, it must address issues like democracy, rule of law, corruption, and align its foreign policies with those of Brussels, including imposing sanctions on Russia. Despite maintaining some military cooperation with Russia, Serbia has condemned its invasion of Ukraine. The country has made other military purchases from Western countries like Airbus and Thales.
Vucic and Macron are expected to sign agreements in the fields of energy and artificial intelligence during the visit. The purchase of Rafale fighters is not just a financial transaction, but also a significant political and strategic move for Serbia.
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