Lajcak is invited from America for the situation in northern Kosovo: We'll have discussions about immediate steps

I'm going to Washington at the invitation of my American partners. We will have intense discussions on the road ahead and for immediate steps”, Lajcak wrote on Facebook, without providing more details.

Lajcak also said that during the week he has announced Brussels' visit to Kosovo and Serbia, along with Washington's envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar.

He said he has spoken with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana about the situation in Kosovo.

We have both agreed that immediate steps must be taken that should be taken for the escalation of the” situation, Lajcak said.

As of May 26th, tensions in northern Kosovo, inhabited by Serb majority, have increased. Tensions rose after young Albanian mayors in the north, with Kosovo Police assisting, entered municipal buildings amid opposition from local Serbs.

Tensions culminated on May 29th, when in Zvecan Serb protesters clashed with NATO mission soldiers in Kosovo, KFOR. Dozens of people on both sides were hurt by the clashes.

On June 14th, tensions between Kosovo and Serbia deteriorated further, following the arrest of three Kosovo police officials. Serbia said they were arrested “deep” within its territory, but Kosovo said they were patrolling on Kosovo's territory, near the border line with Serbia on Leposavic.

Due to tensions, the European Union has invited Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq to a crisis meeting. The meeting is first held this week.

However, Vuciq declared on June 18th that he would not participate in a meeting with Kurti.

“I consider it pointless to talk to a person who is not willing to speak”, Vuciq told reporters in Belgrade.

Kurti has declared that she has not yet decided whether she will participate in the meeting called by EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Josep Borrell.

The EU and the US have submitted three requests to Kurti: calming the situation in the north, holding new elections in four northern municipalities, and returning to dialogue on normalising Kosovo-Serbia reports, mediated by the EU and supported by the US.

But Kurti has presented a five-point plan that he has said would help reduce tensions.