Vucic: Relations with France good, I expect positive answer about EXPO

PARIS - Speaking to reporters after a working lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that they had agreed Serbia-France relations were good and discussed many topics and what they needed to do together in the period to come.

"We discussed numerous issues, Serbia's European future, and I believe you will get President Macron's statement about the EXPO. I asked France to take part in EXPO 2027 and I think we will get a positive answer also formally," Vucic said after the discussions with Macron, which lasted for over two hours.

Vucic said he was pleased with the discussions and that he hoped they would bring good results to Serbia.

He said they had also discussed geopolitical issues and bilateral cooperation.

He noted that Serbia had recently purchased a 50 mln euro supercomputer from France and that a second, 411 mln euro instalment for a purchase of French Rafale jets would be paid in the coming days.

"We also talked about additional investments by French companies in Serbia and about how to solve the issue of US taxes so that they do not impact the Michelin factory and some other factories in our country," Vucic said.

"We also discussed Kosovo-Metohija and everything else, that goes without saying. We do not think alike on everything, which is completely clear, because it is a fact that they recognise 'Kosovo', while we do not. But our positions are getting closer and closer to each other and I am very grateful to President Macron for his excellent understanding of our situation and for his in-depth approach to this," Vucic said in response to a question whether Kosovo-Metohija had also been a topic after France had opposed initiatives in the UN Security Council for a withdrawal of UNMIK, the UN mission in Kosovo-Metohija.

Vucic also said they had concluded that the world was embarking on an era of turbulence and general uncertainty that would last for a long time.

Asked to comment on 84 pct Chinese tariffs on US goods and their potential global impact, Vucic said tough times were ahead and that Serbia must prepare for that and learn how to react.

"It is good to have a major ally in Europe like France. I believe that is important. France is working, and I believe it will continue to work, on defusing the situation in Ukraine. We also discussed the Western Balkans, the situation in the region. I had my initiatives regarding Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, so we discussed everything. Of course, I also spoke about the situation in Serbia. I am proud we have literally managed to endure terror in the past four months in a peaceful and democratic manner," Vucic said.

He added that the global situation is becoming increasingly complicated and more and more difficult but that he believed that, with support, cooperation and alliances with friends, Serbia would be able to do - and change - many things.