Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said on June 20 that Belgrade is ramping up its military capabilities in response to a recent defence cooperation agreement between neighbouring Albania, Croatia and Kosovo.

Speaking in a televised interview on pro-government TV Prva, Vucic said Serbia "will not be the first to fire" but is compelled to act cautiously in light of what he described as an emerging military bloc against Serbian interests.

"We are not threatening anyone. Serbia is a peaceful country. But we must be ready. Less than five people know what we managed to deliver. Our goal is to protect our country," Vucic said, adding that Serbia has acquired “some of the most sophisticated weapons,” including advanced drones from both domestic and foreign sources.

The comments follow recent tensions sparked by a trilateral defence memorandum signed on March 18 in Tirana by Albania, Croatia and Kosovo. The agreement aims to enhance military interoperability through joint education, training and exercises. While the signatories have framed the initiative as a step toward greater regional cooperation and security, Serbia has condemned the pact as provocative.

Vucic at the time accused Croatia and Albania of initiating an "arms race" in the Balkans. “They are constantly inviting Sofia to join them,” he said on June 20, referring to Bulgaria, a Nato member.

In a further display of Serbia’s growing military posture, Vucic announced plans for a large-scale military parade to be held in Belgrade in mid-September. “The Serbian army will show what it has at the big parade,” he said, noting that the display will feature previously undisclosed weaponry and systems.

"We hid it, we guarded it, we delivered it to our country through all kinds of channels," the president said, suggesting that Serbia has undergone significant changes in its defence system, much of which has not been made public.

Speaking earlier in the week in Abu Dhabi, where he met with officials in the United Arab Emirates, Vucic described the upcoming parade as “unprecedented in the region”.