Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
In a largely unreported but hugely important story that played out this week in the Balkans, Washington is putting immense pressure on Serbia to shelve future plans for acquiring Russia’s advanced S-400 air defense missile systems.
The controversy began Wednesday when Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a public television broadcaster in an interview that he had a desire to purchase the S-400 but lacked the funding to do so, and at one point said “Serbia was ready to accept S-400s from Russia as a gift,” according to TASS.
“You know, when you have such a weapon, no one would attack you. Neither US nor any other pilots fly where S-400s are operational: Israeli pilots do not fly either over Turkey or Syria, except for the Golan Heights. We have aviation, which the strongest than ever before. We will be strengthening the air defense with Pantsyr systems and other things, which are not on the sanctions list,” Vucic said in the interview.
Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vučić, via EWB
This after Serbia is still reeling from what Belgrade and much of the public considers the ‘illegal’ US-NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, and later formal recognition of breakaway Kosovo as a republic under the Bush administration.
The president explained that he had attended the Slavic Shield-2019 Russian-Serbian drills in order to personally inspect the Russian systems and view their capabilities, which included Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missiles.
Prior to the interview at least one notable Serbian newspaper reported that Belgrade was mulling purchase of the S-400 anti-air systems on long-term credit, with rumors that Serbian officers had even already begun limited training on the systems.
But as Russia’s TASS reported, all of this was enough to trigger US diplomatic threats and intervention:
The US was quick to respond to Vucic’s statement. US Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer warned in an interview with the Macedonian television during his visit to Skopje that the purchase of S-400 systems from Russia would entail US sanctions against Belgrade.
The sanctions threat worked, according to some Russian sources; however, the spat appears to be ongoing, given Reuters reported Friday that a US diplomat was promptly dispatched to meet with Serbian authorities over the issue.
S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, via EPA/EFE
Per the Reuters report:
U.S. concerns grew last month when Russia sent its S-400 missile defense system and Pantsir launchers to Serbia for a military drill. The move underlined Moscow’s wish to keep a traditional Slavic ally on side as Belgrade pursues links with NATO and tries to join the European Union.
Matthew Palmer, a U.S. envoy for the Balkans, said last week that Serbia could risk sanctions over its arms deals with Russia. Under the sanctions, Serbia could face punishments ranging from visa bans to denial of export licenses.
However, late in the week President Aleksandar Vucic had publicly addressed the country, telling Serbs “not to fear broad sanctions would be imposed on Serbia similar to those of the 1990s during the Balkan wars,” according to Reuters.
Serbia officially has a stance of “military neutrality” with regards to NATO, but joined its Partnership for Peace program in 2015, and remains a traditional close Slavic Balkan ally of Moscow.
Washington has of late actively sought to prevent the proliferation of Russian S-400s and its next generation S-500, especially after Turkey began receiving deliveries in the past months, which has brought US-Turkey relations near breaking point.
If Serbia can not afford the S400. Perhaps make a deal for an S300 unit that is due for retirement, with some upgrades of course. Would this trigger sanctions?
S-300PM , I believe , its the one the Russians gifted the Syrians
Save your coin , these wont help you none.
Haven’t the Russian military just proven that they can station whatever air defense systems required, in a rapid, timely response to an evolving crisis, if threatening the integrity of a state such as Serbia anyway?
Perhaps Serbia would be better off purchasing part of an integrated system to compliment a rapid-response deployment of S-400, were it to arrive?
i.e Tor-M2 and Pantsir.
Pansir is already approved by Serb Government
Sounds a highly sensible move… Russia then just needs to have the air lift capability of S-400 systems ready to deter potential aggression and Serbia avoids much Washington directed aggro.
An epology for an people that lost the freedom, the Bolivians.
Bolivia have fallen. This days, witch to me is getting darker and darker, the insane level of corruption, state coups, color revolutions, etc to drive nations after nations in under the thumbs of the Imperial banana republic whom is winning over nations after nations is once again victorious, and the world is dead silent, even tho that have whined and gnashed theeths about indiginous people, poor countrys whom have managed to rise, slowly but never the less risen, is crashed by an corrupt and rotten elite run completely by the AmeriCunts, where Bolivia is their last win, is for me an sad day, and nobody bothered or had the balls to do anything other then go along or be an part of the coup, like the MSM have been for months, the truth is becoming much clrearer, the empire is running amoc, but the sad thing is, how rotten the others are, like Brazil, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and now, the heroes of the coup in Bolivia whom have attacked indiginous people along with the attacks on the Gov of Morales, is hunting down Veneuelans, and nobody can do anything, or dont bother to do anything about that.
Do notise this Serbia, in the end, you are alone, as before, you cant trust anyone but your self, the attacks will come, first as sactions then as an foreign run coup, aka color revolutions, mark my words, Seribians, this is the future, because of the past, witch the MSM controls true decades of hate propaganda against the Serbians and that is incl so called alternative sites, never ever think you have them on your side, that, Serbia is an deadly ilution, you are on your own, forget the Russians, forget the west, some can, but they are already under attacks, and cant do much other than suport you thru hoping that this isnt or will be an full blown war, but I know that is also an ilution, this days, just look at South-america, corruption and greed, all done by an rotten elite whom benefits from the status quo, and will fight anyone oposing it, and have the American empire as their gardian and provider of the scums needed to take your country. I knew this would end bad, pray for the people whom did their best, but eventually when corruption was the driving force, and they had the military and police with them, an downfall is what comes, Bolivia is an fresh ex. on just that.
I dont see any point on writing much more, I see the MSM incl alternatives where more and more “sites” is/are becoming stinking rotten, not much hope I am afraid we lost it, again, because of cowardness and corruption. May the lord have mercy upon this souls whom is and will be hunted down by the amrican vassals, and dont forget them whom have the insane belife, those that think Trump is an genuine force for change, that, is alsready blown to smitherines, and Serbia is going to fall, I know it, just look an Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, etc, to India and Pakistan. Never forget this Serbians and Bolivia, the AmeriCunts dont care, the people is rotten and corrupted to their bone marrow, the Gov is evil, the President insane, and have no morale what so ever, and on top of it, do as they want becuase there is no Men left on this planet, to few, and makes no difference, because the people dont give an f….
Yeah, and dont forget the Brits, in all this, the evil twin of the Americunts, the same level of pure evil. Since they run the BBC/MSM and whom have pimped propaganda against the people and nations the western Imperial forces wants to take down for as long I can remeber. So, my only advice is, Serbia, to prepare for the ineviatable, a war, and it will come. Hurmf.
peace
A very big blow. It looks like large scale reprisals are being threatened by military. If he gets back in, doubtful as the junta will fix it, complete replacement of officer cadres will be needed.
Holy run-on sentences, batman! Are you klove and light? (re your nihilistic, hysterical bent)
I could see the Russian dispatch it there only if its manned by Russian force. If the Russians send it there as a gift is only to cover the surroundings airspace, the only reason i can see that’s if the Serbian going the Russian European security council’s.
What a waste. Nothing to steal in the country. Too many serbs as well.
Maybee they have schools for improved corruption, low productivity and high performing nationalisme on University level. Thats about it.
the threat of sanctions demonstrates how much the USA fears Russian weapons
These pathetic Sanctions demonstrate how Desperate the AngloZioNazis are…what else can they do? Their Empire is Crumbling right in front of their eyes….other Countries simply should become entirely independent of Evil Entity USraHell….Isolate & Boycot the U.S.A. until they became totally irrelevant
The USadmin was bound to object to a Serbian president taking measures to protect Serbia from the illegal actions of the USMIC and nato, and rubber stamped by UN robots.
The US empire is dead. The sooner certain americans realise that they are flogging a dead horse the better for everyone, including american’s themselves.
The Serbian gov’t should pay lip service to the US threat and go ahead with the acquisition. The USMIC are over-stretched anyway and are also lacking in superior equipment.
Sanctions is a Weapon of Mass Destruction and it should be viewed as such. Sanctions kill more people than wars. The public is fed the line that sanctions are just a push and pull competition. Sanctions show extreme cruelty and disregard for human life.
Yeah Mo’ Sanctions…I love Sanctions…when the U.S. Is Sanctioning Shit it means they really don’t like it how things are goin’….Sanction the Entire World U.S…..