Kosovo's plea to the EU: Address Serbia's aggression and Russia ties

Kosovo, being the only Balkan country not yet a candidate for the European Union, might see this change soon. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti is raising concern over Serbia's aggressive policy and is seeking help from the European Union. Since the invasion of Ukraine, the Russians have been involved in hybrid operations in the Balkans.

There are concerns that Serbs might initiate a conflict. Such a scenario would pose a major challenge for NATO, which has troops stationed in the region, and shift global attention away from Ukraine.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister has labeled Serbia as "the second Russia" and has cautioned the West about the consequences of Moscow’s hybrid activities.

“In recent years, Belgrade has brought its army to our border four times, sponsored terrorism, and spread lies and false narratives to justify its actions against Kosovo and the region,” said Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Let’s remember, Belgrade lost control over Kosovo in 1999. Serbians have never reconciled with the loss of this province (now an independent state), because of its historical importance to them. The significant battle with the Ottomans in 1448 took place on the Field of Kosovo.

Serbs are currently a divided society - they wish to join the European Union (the country is even on the candidate list), but they also support Russia due to sharing a common adversary, namely NATO. People in Belgrade have not forgotten the bombings conducted by the Alliance during the civil war.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister is seeking to convince the European Union to fast-track Kosovo's accession to the group of candidate countries due to the direct threat his country faces, similar to the actions taken for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia following the Russian invasion in 2022.

At a conference focused on Euro-Atlantic integration in Pristina, Kosovo’s Prime Minister suggested that Serbia poses a threat to the region, and the West should contemplate sanctioning Serbia for their aggressive and pro-Russian policy. He proposed targeting Belgrade and preparing penalties for Serbia "just like for Russia".

“The security threats in the Western Balkans from Serbia should be tackled [...] by granting Kosovo the status of a candidate country to the European Union and ensuring Pristina’s membership in the Council of Europe,” said Prime Minister Albin Kurti.