Serbia halts arms exports to Israel amid domestic unrest and international scandals

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on 23 June the suspension of all arms and ammunition exports to Israel, citing escalating regional tensions following Israel’s military operation against Iran, codenamed Operation Rising Lion.

The decision, reached after consultations with the expanded General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, reverses Serbia’s arms supply agreements with Israel, initiated after the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Vučić emphasized that Serbia’s military resources will now prioritise strengthening its own armed forces.

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The suspension of arms exports to Israel marks a significant pivot in Serbia’s foreign policy. As Vučić navigates domestic unrest, international criticism, and economic pressures, Serbia seeks to uphold its neutrality while addressing the demands of its citizens and the realities of a volatile global landscape.

Intense domestic and international pressure

On Tuesday, Vučić disclosed facing significant pressure, both domestically and internationally, to resume arms shipments to Israel.

“Since last night, I have been under enormous pressure from outside and within to break my resolve,” he stated, vowing to maintain the export ban. He warned of potential backlash, including planned protests at Serbia’s defense industry factories in July to oppose the suspension.

The decision follows widespread protests in Belgrade led by the group “Support for the People of Palestine – Serbia” and student activists opposing Serbia’s military ties with Israel. Public criticism of Serbia’s arms export policies has grown, fueling demands for stricter regulations.

To address these concerns, Serbia’s Ministry of Defense introduced new regulations requiring National Security Council approval for all future arms exports, in addition to existing mandates under the Law on the Export and Import of Weapons and Military Equipment. Vučić stressed that only transparent, publicly disclosed decisions by the Council will authorize arms sales to any country going forward.

Serbia’s arms trade landscape

Since October 2023, Serbia’s arms exports to Israel surged 30-fold, reaching €42.3 million in 2024, according to a Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) investigation . In return, Serbia acquired advanced Israeli technologies, including Cellebrite’s mobile phone unlocking tools, criticized by Amnesty International in December 2024 for use against journalists and activists. Additionally, Serbia imported sound guns through Jugoimport SDPR, deployed against peaceful protesters in Belgrade on 15 March injuring several individuals.

Vučić acknowledged the economic importance of Serbia’s defense industry, which employs approximately 24,000 workers. In an earlier interview with the Jerusalem Post, he noted that Serbia expedited arms deliveries to Israel post-October 2023, processing licenses in just four days.

Geopolitical and regional dynamics

The export suspension coincides with Iran’s warning, reported by Reuters, that nations supplying arms to Israel could be deemed complicit in aggression against Iran. Serbian opposition leader Dragan Draganović criticized Vučić’s government for openly publicising arms exports, arguing it jeopardizes national security.

A June 2024 Reuters report estimated that Serbian ammunition worth €1.5 billion reached Israel via third parties since 2022. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Serbia of abandoning its neutrality for the sake of profiting from these supplies.

Serbia’s arms trade has also drawn scrutiny from Russia. Moscow claimed Serbia indirectly supplied ammunition to Ukraine through NATO intermediaries, such as the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, citing deliveries from Serbian manufacturers like Krusik and Eling. Intelligence Service alleges that Serbian companies sold components for mortar shells and rockets for multiple rocket launcher systems (MLRS) through Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, which are then assembled and sent on to Ukraine.

In May, SVR Director Sergei Naryshkin accused Serbia of “stabbing Russia in the back” over alleged arms supplies to Ukraine.

Despite Serbia’s declared neutrality, Vučić attended Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May alongside one other European leader. He later participated in a Southeastern Europe meeting in Odessa but refrained from signing a declaration condemning Russian aggression, while expressing Serbia’s willingness to aid Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

Despite the export ban, Vučić expressed interest in maintaining Serbia’s strategic partnership with Israel, while acknowledging Israel’s violations of international law during its 21 June attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He even compared Russia’s war against Ukraine to the conflicts in the Middle East.

“How will the West lecture Russia or anyone else about territorial integrity? Everyone has violated these rules. The world is literally falling into chaos. Everyone is now behaving as if they have the right to attack everyone else. Madness has spread throughout the world. There is no one left to trust,” he said.

Sources: BGNES, BETA, Reuters, Balkan Insight

Caption: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic talks during the press conference with the President of the European Council Antonio Costa following their meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, 13 May 2025. The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa is on an official visit to Serbia. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC