Kupchan: US has the strength to convince Kosovo, Serbia to make compromises

Former European Affairs Director at the United States National Security Council in the administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Charles Kupchan, says the US has the power to convince Kosovo and Serbia to make painful compromises to eventually normalise relations with each other.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted Brussels to change access to Western Balkan countries.

That's what former European affairs director at the U.S. National Security Council Charles Cupchan thinks.

Kupchan, in an interview for Tv1, says diplomatic activities in the region have obviously increased, and the integration of Western Balkan countries into the EU is no longer impossible.

“I think the Russian invasion in Ukraine has raised concerns in Europe and the US about the removal of Russian resistance to Southeast Europe. And this requires not only the integration of the Western Balkans into Europe, but also the resolution of current problems and differences in the region, normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I don't doubt there's a new emergency coming from Brussels and Washington. That's why we're looking at increased diplomatic activities, the reason the EU has shared a long-term package of $6 billion, for improving business, investment, and integration into the region”, Charles Kupchan said.

Kupchan considers that Kosovo and Serbia have not only blocked each other, but the entire region.

According to the U.S. professor, the US has the power to convince both sides to do, as he said, painful “procedures to normalise relations.

I think the time has come for Kosovo and Serbia to normalise relations. It's a matter that's been delaying for a long time, and it's hurting both sides. It's stopping the integration of the region into Europe. And he's taking life from time to time. We have seen cases of violence erupt in the recent past. So I think the sooner the better. I think that close US co-operation with the EU is the right formula to push the Balkans towards the bottom line, even for the fact that the US has unique force. The US can convince the parties to shake hands and make painful concessions that may be necessary to finalise the normalisation agreement”, he said.

Tomorrow in Pristina, special mediator for dialogue Miroslav Lajcak, who is working to convince both sides to return to the negotiating table in Brussels, will come.
The dialogue fell to the lowest point when Kosovo Sergeant Africa Bulnjak was killed on 24-September.