Croatian President Zoran Milanović said at the NATO Summit in Ankara that Serbia has significantly increased its military capabilities in recent years and that NATO should closely monitor the country’s rearmament.
Speaking to reporters on the second day of the summit, Milanović said he had raised the issue during meetings with NATO leaders.
With a touch of irony, he remarked that he hoped Serbia would not acquire “an aircraft carrier on wheels” because it has no coastline. However, he questioned why Serbia continues to expand its military arsenal.
“I mentioned what Serbia has been doing recently regarding its armaments. I hope they won’t get an aircraft carrier on wheels since they have no sea. But the question is—what do they need all of this for? Hypersonic missiles are just one segment; there is much more, and we will have to respond by developing similar capabilities ourselves. NATO should be aware of this, and it is my duty to speak about it,” Milanović said.
Addressing the broader European security situation, the Croatian president said there was too little discussion about diplomacy during the summit. He also noted that Russia possesses a significant nuclear arsenal but added that he does not believe Moscow would dare attack European countries.
Commenting on the atmosphere at the summit, Milanović described U.S. President Donald Trump as the most straightforward leader present.
“In this format, Donald Trump was the most honest. He comes here as a fully committed arms dealer and, in that sense, represents American interests. He speaks respectfully about Putin and Xi, and they speak respectfully about him,” Milanović said.
