Milanović responds to Vučić over Serbia's military build-up during Montenegro visit

President Zoran Milanović is in Montenegro after attending the NATO summit in Ankara.

He said relations between Croatia and Montenegro are good, but stressed that the two countries need to resolve their long-standing border dispute once and for all.

Milanović also said it was important for Croatia to have constructive partners in Montenegro. He went on to comment on recent remarks by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia's military build-up.

"Our neighbors are acquiring weapons systems that we don't have, which means we may have to acquire them ourselves, and we want to avoid that. That already raises red flags. Some may say it's foolish to think that way, but I see it as part of my job. If I don't ask those questions, then I'm useless as president," Milanović said.

Vučić responded on Wednesday, dismissing Milanović's comments as "stupid and foolish" and saying Serbia would no longer be anyone's prey.

"I will not respond to stupid remarks, foolish remarks by the Croatian president. I will not respond in an indecent manner. We respect Croatia. Croatia has an extremely strong army; they are part of NATO, we are not. We respect NATO, but we do not want to be part of it, and we want to determine our own destiny. That is why we have to be very strong and very powerful," Vučić said.

Vučić was responding to Milanović's earlier comments that he had warned NATO about what he called Belgrade's "strange" arms policy, adding that Croatia would have to respond.