The idea of exchanging territories between Kosovo and Serbia, Steinbaum: Can be returned from Trump administration

In an interview for RTV21, Steinbaum said he expects a difficult period in relations between the new US administration and the Government of Kosovo.

In a report drafted for the Public Policy Group in Washington, Steinbaum said international demands on Kosovo state authorities to establish the Association of Serb majority municipalities are contrary to the Constitution of Kosovo and would violate the constitutional competencies of municipal authorities.

We still don't know that. We are not sure who the main players will be for this region. We know who the Secretary of State is expected to be when the Senate approves, but we still don't know what this administration's interest will be, this coming new administration. This is something that all of us who care about this region will follow very closely. We know there were players who were there and went out with people related to elected President Trump, but we still don't know how this is going to happen, Steinbaum said.

Based on what you've seen, based on what you've heard, based on what you know of its previous capacities as well. Donald Trump views himself as a negotiator and he considers himself the world's greatest negotiator. So I expect him to enter here in hopes of resolving this conflict in five seconds. And my assumption, and it's just an assumption, is that he'll propose an exchange of territories and mean, here's the final agreement, you give up this territory in the north, Serbia, you know it and the conflict ended. And he will pressure both sides to do so. This is just an assumption”

So, do you think the exchange of territories will return as an issue between Kosovo and Serbia?

I assume he'll be back. I think he'll be back. It was something that existed during his previous administration, and I expect them to try to find a way to prove that he can solve all conflicts by being a negotiator. Many of these things are for him. What we've learned, is that all his policies, if there's politics, all his approaches, all his relationships, are all about him. So he would like to solve this to say he can do”, he added.