Thewesternbalkans.
A Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan between the defense ministries of Serbia and Hungary for 2025 was signed in Belgrade on 01.04.2025. After the meeting with Minister of Defense of Hungary Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the Serbian President Alexander Vucic told a joint news conference that in the region, Serbia has the most developed and intensive cooperation in the field of defense with Hungary, and expressed his belief that an agreement on joint activities will be followed by moving ever closer and in the creation of a military alliance between Serbia and Hungary. He said that a document was signed today that makes operational and concrete the agreement on strategic cooperation in the field of defense reached in 2023.
According to officials, the key points of the agreement include bilateral military exercises and military-technical cooperation, with a particular focus on the procurement of various systems, as well as areas such as cyber security and military education. Joint helicopter military exercises are also planned, which will be held on the territories of both countries.
Comment: Although the signed agreement does not imply collective defense, as was previously rumored, it is certainly a serious step towards further deepening military cooperation. It can also be seen as a symmetrical response to the creation of the anti-Serbian tripartite pact in the Balkans.
The signed military agreement and the continuation of economic cooperation between Serbia and Hungary, which was also discussed, especially in the energy sector, undoubtedly strengthen Serbia’s position as a key strategic partner of Budapest, which further strengthens Hungary’s interest in stable security in the region.
