Serbia indirectly supplies weapons to Ukraine, 'trades off' for advantage in northern Kosovo?

On June 6, in an interview with the Financial Times (UK), Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed that he accepted selling ammunition to intermediaries to send to Ukraine.

Serbian ammunition was shipped to Ukraine through intermediaries. Illustration photo. (Source: Financial Times)

According to the Financial Times , through a report from the US government, the Serbian President knew about the Serbian ammunition reaching Ukraine through intermediaries, but he had no intention of stopping it. President Vucic said he was not surprised by such shipments because this could happen.

In particular, according to three Western diplomats in the region, Serbia's ammunition transfer mechanism to Ukraine was a decisive factor in a recent notable shift, when the US, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) showed support for Serbia in the new ethnic tensions that erupted in Kosovo late last month.

Responding to a question about Serbia's "deliberate move" to gain approval from the West, Mr. Vucic affirmed: "Belgrade is trying to act neutrally... I know that some weapons may go to Ukraine."

At the same time, the Serbian President also admitted that he had taken a risk in relations with Russia and the West. However, he said that Belgrade would not help Moscow carry out a special military operation, but would only join UN resolutions condemning and restricting re-exports.

Besides, President Vucic shared that he does not expect any breakthrough changes regarding the situation in northern Kosovo.

Western countries are now concerned about the tension in northern Kosovo, after ethnic Albanian mayors took office in Serb-majority areas of the region, following April elections in which Serbs refused to participate.

On June 1, the US, EU and NATO all called on both sides to dialogue and take steps to "cool down" and avoid escalating tensions.

In addition, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the military alliance is ready to send more troops, in addition to the 700 troops already added to KFOR - the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, after 30 peacekeepers and 52 ethnic Serbian protesters were injured in late May.

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