Serbia says it's close to buying French fighter jets Heralding shift from Russia

Serbia is close to signing a deal on the purchase of 12 French Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets, the Serbian president announced on April 9, in what would mark a shift from its traditional military supplier Russia.

President Aleksandar Vucic spoke during his two-day visit to Paris and talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as well as French defense officials including Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation, AP reports.

Vucic said that he had a very good conversation with Macron on Monday night, which lasted more than three hours, and that they “reached concrete agreements regarding the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets.”

He said contracts will be signed in the next two months in Macron’s presence, adding that the purchase of the sophisticated jets will drastically widen military and other cooperation between the two states.

The potential deal's financial details have not been announced, but the pro-government Serbian media estimated the total cost at about 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion).

Serbia has been considering purchasing the new Rafale jets for more than two years since neighboring Balkan rival Croatia purchased 12 used fighter jets of the same type for about 1 billion euros.

The potential acquisition of Rafale jets would allow Serbia to modernize its air force consisting mainly of Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters as well as aging Yugoslav combat aircraft.

Russia has been a traditional supplier of military aircraft, including combat helicopters, to Serbia, which has refused to join international sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

During his talks with Macron in Paris, the two also discussed the simmering tensions in Kosovo as well cooperation in the field of nuclear technology and possible construction of a nuclear power plant in Serbia.