Russian, Serbian Defense Ministers discuss helicopters

Russia’s Defense Minister Sergej Shoigu opened talks in Moscow with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vulin on the sale of helicopters on Tuesday (April 3).  

The Serbian Defense Ministry said the ministers were discussing the sale of four Mi–17 transport and four Mi-35 attack helicopters.  

Vulin told reporters in Moscow that the two countries are continuing military-technical cooperation in the form of upgrades and equipment for Serbia’s MiG-29 aircraft, T-72 main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers and certain types of anti-aircraft weapons.  

An armed Serbia is a peace-loving Serbia and a guarantee of peace in the Balkans, he said.  

The statement said Vulin passed on President Aleksandar Vucic’s message that Serbia will not impose sanctions and get involved in anti-Russian hysteria as long as he is in office.  

Vulin met with Collective Security Treaty Organization Secretary-General General Yuri Khachaturov to discuss topical political events and is scheduled to attend a conference on international security in Moscow.