Murphy blames Kosovo for tensions in the north, urges “aggressive commitment” of the US in the Balkans

“We must engage aggressively in the Balkans to protect peace, because now we cannot afford to put out the real fires in that region”, Murphy said in an interview for National JournalAfter returning to Washington from a Balkan tour, the Balkan Radio Service Free Europe broadcasts.

Tensions in northern Kosovo are high, since Kosovo Police helped Albanian mayors of three Serb majority municipalities -- Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq -- enter municipal buildings on May 26th, despite the resistance of local residents.

Their revolution turned into violent clashes with members of NATO's mission, KFOR, 29 May.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken blamed the Government of Kosovo for actions that led to “escalation of tensions in the north and increasing instability”.

Murphy, who met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Pristina on May 22nd, agreed with Blinken that the situation could have been resolved by diplomacy rather than by force.

It should not move so fast with the decision to take those [communal] building”, Murphy said.

He could wait and try to solve this through mediators like the United States”, the US senator said.

This situation, he said, gave Russia opportunities to stir up unrest.

Russia plays games in the Balkans. She tries to stir up divisions and conflicts. It hopes there will be conflict in the Balkans, a genuine kinetic conflict that would distance the United States and Europe from the conflict in Ukraine”, Murphy said.

Murphy said he hopes that when the situation in northern Kosovo calms, people will turn their attention to implementing the Ohrid Agreement for normalising relations between Pristina and Belgrade.