Bieber: US, EU try to push Serbia away from Russia, hence need to be generous with Kosovo
(3 years ago)Historian Florian Bieber, who is a good connoisseur of policies in the region, has said that the West's approach towards Serbia aims to distance Serbia from Russia and the fact that Kosovo is only Western-oriented, the two Western powers, the US and the EU, do not need to be generous with it. He says that in [...]
Historian Florian Bieber, who is a good connoisseur of policies in the region, has said that the West's approach towards Serbia aims to distance Serbia from Russia and the fact that Kosovo is only Western-oriented, the two Western powers, the US and the EU, do not need to be generous with it.
He says that in this bad “approach, the bad” can be rewarded more because of their attempt to withdraw.
“Especially in relations between Serbia and Kosovo where I think American politics, but also that of the EU, aims to distance Serbia from Russia and by doing so are willing to neglect the issues of democracy and the rule of law within Serbia, but also zealous in some way to penalise Kosovo rather than Serbia, because Kosovo is promised Western-oriented to follow need not to be very generous with it. So we're kind of in a situation where sometimes the bad “guys get a bigger reward because they have to be persuaded to come to our side”. In a way this is exactly a sort of external transaction policy, which ironically has provided a new breath as a result of the war in Ukraine and Russian aggression”, Bieber said at the Podcast of Ditmir Busati.
Meanwhile, Bieber says, this should be the moment when foreign policy had to be restored.
What makes them countries of the West believe Serbia will leave Russian orbit, Bieber was asked.
There has been a surprisingly limited change in the region regarding foreign policy orientation as a result of Russian aggression... Serbia has not left its policy in essence. And in fact this is a question I ask myself, which person from Western governments believes that through this approach can convince Serbia led by President Vuciq to behave differently?”, he said.
Bieber said he's very skeptical about that.
“I think there are some who still believe that Serbia is somehow adjacent or stuck with Russia instead of playing with both sides for maximum benefit. Serbia is not Russia's vasal. Serbia, under Vuciqi's direction, does what is in the interest of President Vuciq”, he said.