President of Serbia: "We will open a joint drone factory with Israel in September"
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Aleksandar Vučić announced the inauguration of the military project. Previously, the president announced that an agreement had been signed with Elbit Systems and that the factory would be "one of the most serious drone production facilities in the world."
President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić said today that Serbia will open a drone factory with Israeli partners in September. He added that he did not discuss military cooperation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting today in Belgrade.
At a joint press conference at the Palace of Serbia, responding to a journalist's question regarding military cooperation, Vučić stated:
"We did not discuss military cooperation today. What will happen when the war ends is another question."
Vučić further stated that the factory is expected to open around September 15 or 20. In early March, he announced the upcoming launch of a facility for "serious drones," and in June, he confirmed the partnership with the Israeli company Elbit Systems.
Vučić initially did not specify the partner, apparently due to concerns over political criticism from the domestic left. According to local media reports, the factory will be a joint venture between the Israeli firm Elbit Systems and Serbia's state-owned import-export company, SDPR, with the Israeli partner holding a 51 percent controlling stake.
