Vucic: We will try to boost our trade with US despite tariffs

BELGRADE - Despite the announced US tariffs, Serbia will try to boost its trade with the US as that is important not only for the national economy, but also for foreigners - Japanese, Chinese, French and other foreign companies operating in Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Thursday evening.

"We will try to reach a deal under which we will have no tariffs or anything, and try to continue to raise our trade with the US. It is important for our economy, it is important for the Japanese, the Chinese and the French who are operating here... And also for the services market, which is extremely important, and it is also important for our defence industry factories," Vucic said in an appearance on Newsmax Balkans TV, during which he took questions from reporters in New York, Belgrade and Sarajevo.

"It is important to know that Uzice-based Prvi partizan has had stable contracts with Americans for 12-13 years now," Vucic said, adding that, contrarily to widespread belief, the company's ammunition exports to the US were unrelated to the war in Ukraine.

"That is small-calibre ammunition, 5.56, 5.65, 7.62 mm and so on, but it is top-quality ammunition," Vucic said, noting that "Americans have been buying that from us for over a decade now."