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Filip Rudic, Serbians
Support Military Neutrality, Research Says
Balkan Insight, Sept.
5, 2017.
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Filip Rudic, Serbia Seeks Russia Role in Kosovo Talks
Balkan Insight, Dec. 20, 2017. US. Department of State, Background Information on Serbia provided to Committee Staff, June 30, 2017. Serbia Takes Delivery of First of
Six MiG Fighters from Russia Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, Oct. 2, 2017; Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, PL. No.
115-44, § 231 (Enacted Aug. 2, 2017). Vincent L. Morelli, Serbia Background and US. Relations
Congressional Research Serv-ice, Oct. 16, 2017.
Kaitlin Lavinder, Russia Ramps Up Media and Military Influence in the Balkans
The Cipher Brief, Oct. 13, 2017. perceive Russia as Serbia’s greatest friend.
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The Russian government takes a hard line against recognition of Kosovo’s statehood and blocking resolutions at the UN on the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic frequently meets with President Putin, and as recently as December 2017 called upon Russia to play a more active role in negotiations on Serbia’s relationship with Kosovo.
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This theme also plays out in the defense relationship between Russia and Serbia. In the last year, Serbia signed a major arms deal with Russia and sent a member of its Defense Attache team in Moscow to observe a Russian military exercise in Crimea.
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In October 2017, Russia provided six MiG jets, and reportedly agreed to provide 30 T tanks and 30 BRDM-2 patrol
combat vehicles to Serbia, all at no charge. President Vucic reportedly said that Serbia is also negotiating the purchase of the S air defense system from Russia, a deal which could trigger recently adopted US. law which mandates sanctions on any significant transaction with the Russian military or intelligence sectors.
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Despite close military ties with Russia, Serbia also seeks to maintain security cooperation with NATO and the United States. According to the Congressional Research Service, Serbia participates in NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, including through joint exercises and training opportunities.
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According to John Cappello, a former Acting Defense Attache at the US. Embassy, Serbia held around 125 military-to-military exchanges with the United States in 2016, compared to only four with Russia.
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The Russian government’s asymmetric arsenal in Serbia is multifaceted and very effective at maintaining public support fora strong relationship with Moscow. This has been achieved with little counter-messaging efforts on the part of the European Union and the United States. Given Serbia’s central role
and influence in the Balkans, any strategy to counter malign influence should start with Belgrade. Since the Russian government could significantly ramp up its malign influence efforts beyond current levels in the event that Serbia made clear strides towards joining the European Union, the international community should prepare for this eventuality by incorporating some of the best lessons learned from other countries across Europe.
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