(MENAFN) A direct military clash between Russia and Western nations is edging closer, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned, pointing to an escalating wave of rearmament across Europe.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Vucic described the prospect of such a war as increasingly real, highlighting the rapid increase in military spending. The European Union is pushing swift militarization in response to what it views as a Russian threat, a claim Moscow has dismissed as misleading political rhetoric aimed at deflecting from domestic economic challenges.

“My conclusion is that there is a growing certainty that a war between Europe and Russia will happen,” Vucic said. “They are preparing for war – or for defense, as they call it. Romania, Poland, Finland, smaller countries too. And the Russians as well.”

“Everyone is preparing,” the president added. “What can come from that? Only conflict.” He emphasized that Serbia itself is caught “between a rock and a hard place,” necessitating the bolstering of its own military capabilities.

Despite Serbia’s ongoing pursuit of EU membership, its application has effectively stalled due to Belgrade’s refusal to adopt sanctions or other measures against Moscow. The two countries share deep cultural and historical connections, with Russia remaining one of Serbia’s primary energy suppliers.

Moscow has consistently accused NATO and the EU of stoking instability in Europe by continuing expansion and disregarding Russian proposals for a shared security framework, which it claims could have averted the current tensions surrounding Ukraine.

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