Serbia Offers Ammunition to Europe, Says It Produces More Than France

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has offered to supply ammunition to the European Union, declaring that Serbia now manufactures more munitions than France. In an interview with the German political magazine Cicero, Vucic said Serbia’s warehouses are “full” and that the government is waiting for Brussels to respond to its offer.

“I don’t want to be seen as someone who constantly sells ammunition to countries at war, but Europe needs it,” Vučić said. “That’s why I offered our friends in the EU a deal to purchase everything we have. It would be a phenomenal contribution to Europe’s security.”

When asked whether the ammunition could end up in Ukraine, Vucic replied that European buyers could “do whatever they want” with it once purchased. “We only need a long-term contract so that we can plan our production,” he added.

The statement highlights Serbia’s growing ambitions in the defense industry, which has expanded production of artillery shells, small-caliber ammunition, and explosives over the past decade. Despite maintaining formal neutrality and refusing to join Western sanctions against Moscow, Serbia’s arms exports have risen sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Vučić also rejected claims that Serbia’s close relationship with Russia poses a threat to European integration, insisting that Belgrade remains committed to joining the EU. “I’ve told Vladimir Putin at least ten times that Serbia is on the path to the EU,” Vucic said, expressing confidence that the country could become an EU member within the next eight years.

The president dismissed international criticism that Serbia has drifted from democratic norms and placed excessive power in his hands. “If there’s someone attacked daily in their own country, it’s me,” he said. “Every day, they portray me as some kind of Hitler.”

As the EU struggles to meet Ukraine’s demand for ammunition, Vucic’s remarks signal Serbia’s intention to position itself as an alternative supplier — one that could bridge the continent’s production shortfall, though not without political controversy.