The US State Department has approved a potential sale of 246 Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kosovo for an estimated $75 million, news agency reports said on Thursday.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon said that the prime contractors will be the Javelin Joint Venture between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Missiles and Defense.

The Associated Press reported that US Ambassador Christopher Hill told Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about Kosovo’s request to buy the missiles adding that Vucic expressed “deep disappointment”.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security of the United States by improving the security of a European partner which is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said.

Serbia’s president is reported to have said that “for us, it is of great importance that the peace in the region is not broken and that Serbia will continue to act responsibly and contribute to stability in the Balkans”.

The Javelin missile system has been used by Ukrainian forces to destroy Russian tanks and other armoured vehicles. Kosovo has boosted its armed forces with drones and anti-tank missiles mostly from Turkey, which has angered Belgrade.