Crisis on the borders.. Western calls to reduce tension between Kosovo and Serbia, and the Kremlin calls for guaranteeing the rights of Serbs

Western countries and Russia called for the settlement of tension between Serbia and Kosovo "by diplomatic means" after the attacks targeting the police in northern Kosovo, amid grave concern about the escalation of events on the border between the two countries.

The Russian presidency said it supported the parties to make peaceful efforts to resolve the situation through diplomatic means.

Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov demanded that all Serbs' rights be guaranteed, stressing that Russia is a staunch supporter of Belgrade "given the deep-rooted historical and religious ties."

Remove barriers

And called on the United States and Britain to remove the barriers erected by groups of the Serb minority in northern Kosovo.

Today, Monday, the US embassies in Pristina and Belgrade issued a joint statement regarding the developments in northern Kosovo, in which they warned against using the arrest of a person suspected of involvement in the attack as a pretext to threaten the Kosovo authorities and the local population, spread terror, and block roads illegally.

The British embassies in Pristina and Belgrade also issued a similar joint statement calling for the removal of barriers erected by local Serbs in northern Kosovo.

In turn, German Foreign Minister Analina Berbock said, in a statement on the tension in Kosovo, that the decision to postpone early general elections in 4 municipalities in the north of the country led to an easing of tensions in Kosovo, while Serbia did the opposite when it threatened to send troops to Kosovo.

For its part, the French Foreign Ministry expressed its deep concern about the situation in northern Kosovo, and expressed its strong condemnation of the attack on the European Union Police and Judicial Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), urging the two parties to exercise the greatest possible restraint and act responsibly in order to ease tensions.

In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry affirmed Paris' full support for the European mediation, which would make progress towards a comprehensive and legally binding agreement between Serbia and Kosovo possible.

In turn, NATO demanded that those involved in the attack on the European Mission in Kosovo be held accountable.

European mission

The European Union Mission in Kosovo said that a stun grenade was thrown at one of its armored vehicles in the area on Saturday evening, without causing any injuries.

Late last week, tensions escalated in northern Kosovo after unidentified gunmen exchanged fire with police and threw a stun grenade at members of the European Union Police Mission.

Demonstrators from the Serb minority in Kosovo set up roadblocks in the north of the country, blocking traffic at two major border crossings with Serbia, in protest against the arrest of a former policeman.

The Kosovo police had previously announced the closure of the two border crossings with Serbia in the north of the country for security reasons.

NATO intervention

In turn, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that his country will officially request the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo to deploy elements of the Serbian police and army in Kosovo in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1244.

In response, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that his country would respond to any aggression against it.

Pristina and Belgrade exchanged accusations after the recent series of events that prompted Kosovo to postpone local elections in municipalities with a Serb majority scheduled for December 18, 2022, until April 23, 2023.

Kosovo is a former Serbian province with a majority of Albanians and declared its independence in 2008. It was recognized by the United States and most European Union countries, but it did not receive recognition from Belgrade.