MILAN – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he plans to attend Russia’s Victory Day military parade in Moscow next month despite warnings from European Union officials that such a visit risks hindering the country’s ambitions to join the bloc.
This year’s festivities will involve the participation and planning, for the first time, of Serbian military units in the parade, which commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Associated Press reported.
Earlier this month, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas called on European governments not to attend, as doing so would effectively show support for the Kremlin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Kallas restated her position this week, telling reporters that “any participation in the May 9th parades or celebrations in Moscow will not be taken lightly on the European side, considering that Russia is waging a full-scale war in Europe.”
The Ukrainian government has invited European leaders to Kyiv on the same day.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has previously said he would join Vucic in traveling to Moscow.
In previous years, several countries have sent delegations to the parade, including leaders from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Laos, and Cuba.
The West’s support for the defense of Ukraine has experienced a dramatic shift since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump has sided with Putin in explaining the cause of the war, and his government is turning off the spigot of military aid that sent tens of billions of dollars’ worth of equipment to Kyiv.
While remaining outside NATO and pursuing a policy of military neutrality, Serbia has expressed interest in joining the European Union.
The government last year was seen as moving closer to Europe, at least in matters of military equipment, when officials committed to buying 12 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation
The contract for nine single-seater Rafales and three two-seaters was reported to be worth €2.7 billion (US$3 billion).
Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.
