Trump’s new approach to Kosovo-Serbia normalization looms
Kosovo may face a new approach from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the normalization of relations with Serbia, say former Kosovo diplomats, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
According to them, Kosovo may be presented with a fait accompli decision from the White House that leaves little room for negotiation or opposition, similar to the approach taken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in response to Russia’s military aggression against his country.
High-level delegations from the U.S. and Russia met on February 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the war in Ukraine, without the official involvement of Kyiv.
Former Kosovo Ambassador to Italy, Alma Lama, tells KosovaPress that the Trump administration may pursue a policy based on pragmatic results and successful agreements between Kosovo and Serbia.
Since the beginning of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in 2011, the United States has only supported the process, which is mediated by the European Union. During President Donald Trump’s first administration, Kosovo and Serbia reached an economic normalization agreement in Washington in 2020.
The former diplomat states that Kosovo has lost many opportunities over the years for a resolution regarding Serbia, so President Trump may offer an "take it or leave it" deal.
On the other hand, former diplomat Blerim Canaj states that President Trump might insist on a quick agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Kosovo on its 17th Independence Anniversary, emphasizing deeper bilateral cooperation between the two countries. However, unlike in the past, there was no mention of the need for normalizing relations with Serbia or implementing commitments made in the process.
Regarding this, former diplomat Alma Lama says that Trump’s congratulation was more focused on economic cooperation than the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
Kosovo and Serbia, under European Union mediation, reached the Basic Agreement in Brussels and the implementation annex in Ohrid, North Macedonia, in 2023, but its implementation has yet to begin.
