Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that Belgrade and Budapest are working towards establishing a comprehensive military alliance, following the signing of a document on Serbian-Hungarian strategic defence cooperation.
"We aim to forge the closest strategic relations in the field of defense, and we believe that this agreement on joint activities will pave the way for a military alliance or union between Serbia and Hungary," the Serbian leader stated.
The document on strategic defence cooperation, along with a plan for bilateral military partnership for 2025, were signed by Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and his Hungarian counterpart, Krisztof Szalay-Bobrovniczky. Serbia's president Aleksandar Vucic attended the signing ceremony.
"Of all the countries in the region, Serbia has the most developed and intensive cooperation in defence with Hungary - in terms of the number and importance of joint activities," Vucic said in a separate press release issued by the Serbian defence ministry.
Vucic stated the key elements of the defence cooperation with Hungary are military-to-military cooperation, which includes bilateral and multinational exercises, and military-technical cooperation in the procurement of weapons systems and assets.
The plan outlines 79 joint activities, which include helicopter exercises, naval training, multinational peace operations training for volunteer reserve personnel, and rifle training.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky stated that the two countries hold regular consultations at the highest level even though Serbia is not a member of the European Union.
"In Belgrade today, I reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to peace and stability in the Western Balkans. Serbia is a key partner in this effort, and we strongly support its EU integration. Our strategic ties span all areas—including defence," wrote Krisztof Szalay-Bobrovniczky on X.
He confirmed that out of the neighbouring non-EU and non-NATO member states, Hungary had the most intensive bilateral defence and military relations with Serbia, and also contributed to the modernization of the Serbian Armed Forces.
"Serbia is not in the EU, but we engage in consultations at the highest level. Since 2023, we have expanded our cooperation to include military matters, and today, we have moved forward with the plan for 2025," - stated the Hungarian Minister of Defence.
Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009, and in 2012 it was deemed a candidate country. Negotiations between the EU and Serbia for enlargement are ongoing.
The agreement comes two weeks after the defence ministers of Albania, Croatia and Kosovo signed a defence cooperation agreement that aims to strengthen their defence capabilities and improve military interoperability through joint training and exercises. Right after the signing the tripartite agreement, Serbia expressed concerns over the increasing military cooperation between Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies...
Morocco booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a convincing 3-0 victory over Canada, ending the co-host's historic run in the tourna...
Kyrgyzstan’s ex-second in command, Kamchybek Tashiev, has been convicted of plotting to overthrow the country’s President Sadyr Japarov. Tashiev a...
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s P...
Thousands of people gathered in the central Serbian city of Kraljevo on Sunday, maintaining pressure on President Aleksandar Vučić a day after he announced plans to step down within weeks and call early elections.
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
Thousands gathered in Novi Sad, Serbia, to commemorate the deaths of 16 people in the 2024 railway station awning collapse and renew calls for snap elections.
Police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters in central Belgrade on Saturday, as tens of thousands gathered to demand early elections and an end to the more than decade-long rule of Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment