Kosovo’s president on Thursday accused Russia of using its traditional ally, Serbia, to “destabilize” the Balkans, while the Ukrainian crisis and Moscow’s confrontation with the West remain open.
“Today, Kosovo, the Balkans and the whole world are facing dangers from Russia’s aggressive stance,” President Biosha Osmani told parliament in a speech marking the 14th anniversary of her country’s independence.
Osmani added that Russia is using “its traditional ally Serbia […] to destabilize the Balkans “.
Tensions between Pristina and Belgrade over Kosovo’s treatment of the estimated 120,000 Serb-born Serbs living in its territory pose a serious obstacle to the country’s bid to join NATO or the EU.
Arber Vllahiu, an independent political analyst, paralleled Moscow’s stance on Ukraine with the Balkans.
“Russia has a vested interest not only in preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, but also in preventing the Western Balkans, including Kosovo, from joining the EU and NATO,” said Vllahiu, Kosovo’s former ambassador to the Czech Republic.
Speaking to the Kremlin this week with German Chancellor Olaf Solz, Russian President Vladimir Putin cited NATO bombing of Serb forces during the 1999 Kosovo crisis as an example of the alliance’s aggressive behavior.
Solz responded that NATO had acted to prevent the genocide, a reference to the persecution of Albanians in Kosovo.
Russia, which backs Serbia in its differences with the West, does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and has blocked its accession to the United Nations.
Source: Capital
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