Moscow tries to torpedo talks between Kosovo and Serbia

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbian President, and Albin Kurti, Kosovar Prime Minister, during a press conference, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, August 17, 2022. © Montage RFI/REUTERS/Johanna Geron

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Russia is trying to derail negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, a European Union official warned on Friday (February 24th) before the resumption of talks in Brussels to reach "de 

facto

recognition

between former enemies.

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The head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell is due to welcome Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Monday in an attempt to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

The two sides have agreed to the terms of a European plan

that would lead to restoring their ties

more than two decades after the war between them, assured the European official, on condition of anonymity.

“ 

Russia intervened recently

 ”

But the success of the plan will depend on its implementation by both sides in the coming months, and Moscow is working to pressure Serbia to oppose any deal, he said.

Russia intervened recently 

," he said.

According to him, the Russian ambassador in Belgrade is "

 hyperactive

", multiplies the interviews with the press and maintains that "

 this is not the right time to address the question of Kosovo, that we must wait for a new world order be established between Russia and the West 

”.

I see this as a threat to President Vucic, a warning that he does not accept the proposal

(...)

I did not notice that it had an impact on his position, but it had a impact on part of the opposition in Serbia, we have seen violent demonstrations

 ”, judges the European official.

Tensions escalate

Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose 1.8 million inhabitants are overwhelmingly Albanian, declared its independence in 2008, but it is not recognized by Serbia.

Since November 2022, tensions have escalated in northern Kosovo, where Belgrade is encouraging the Serbian minority to withhold all loyalty to Pristina.

Five EU countries (Greece, Spain, Romania, Slovakia and Cyprus) do not recognize Kosovo's independence either.

The peace plan drawn up by the EU has not been made public, allowing the two parties to present their interpretation.

 This is de facto recognition

 ,” said the European official.

(

With

AFP)

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