JAKARTA - Serbia's military showcased new Chinese-made surface-to-air missiles and other military hardware purchased from Russia and the West as the country seeks to strike a delicate balancing act over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Members of the public and media were invited to the exhibition at the Batajnica military airfield near Belgrade, where Chinese and French missiles lined up alongside Airbus helicopters, Chinese armed drones and Russian MIG-29 jets.
Serbia seeks to balance its partnership with NATO and aspirations to join the European Union with its centuries-old religious, ethnic and political alliance with Russia.
China's FK-3 surface-to-air defense system, an export version of China's HQ-22, similar to Russia's S-300 or US Patriot system, was purchased by Belgrade in 2019 and delivered earlier this month.
Serbia is currently the only European country operating the Chinese missile system and the CH-92A combat drone.
President Aleksandar Vucic visited Saturday's exhibition, accompanied by military commanders and watching an aerobatics show featuring a modified MIG-29 jet donated by Russia in 2017.
"I am proud of the Serbian army, I am proud of the great progress," President Vucic told a news conference, quoted by Reuters on May 1.
"We will significantly strengthen our combat air force. Serbia is a neutral country and Serbia must find a solution that allows it to preserve its skies and its country," he said.
The delivery of the FK-3 missile system prompted several Western countries, including Germany, to warn Belgrade that they expect the Balkan nation to align its foreign policy with the European Union if it wants to become a member.
Belgrade has voted against Russia three times at the United Nations, but has stopped short of imposing sanctions on it.
The Serbian military is loosely based on legacy Soviet technology, with Russia being one of its main suppliers. Belgrade is also dependent on natural gas and oil supplies from Russia.
President Vucic said Serbia expects to buy 12 Rafale multipurpose fighter jets from France by the end of the year or early next year, a move political analysts see as a sign Belgrade is distancing itself from Russia.
He also said Serbia was negotiating to buy 12 Typhoon fighters from Britain.
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