American Professor: US, EU via Kiev lead Kosovo towards international recognition

American professor Edward Joseph sees the situation in the Balkans gloomy after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The US and the EU, according to him, should better understand the implications of that war in the region and take the right stance towards Kosovo, which he says should advance towards international recognition and bring Serbia into the Western rule's accession. This, he said, would isolate Putin and give Ukraine greater security.

No region on the globe has seen more surprising and shocking influence from Russia's aggression in Ukraine than the Balkans. So writes Edward P. Joseph, professor at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, in an article titled “Division following the Balkan invasion”, published by the Center for Balltic Studies and Eastern Europe at Sodertorn University in Sweden on Tuesday.

Joseph writes there about disturbing developments in the Western Balkans since Russia's war in Ukraine began.

“Basically, the US and the EU have failed to seize that possibility and the need created by Putin's conquest to close the inherited ethnic disputes from Yugoslavia's collapse three decades ago. The most important of these unresolved issues is Serbia's refusal to recognise the independence of its former province, Kosovo”, writes Joseph.

The American professor stresses that the lack of resolution of this problem is the main obstacle that has long delayed the two countries' Euro-Atlantic integration.

He writes that Serbia's “leva on Kosovo” is allowing Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq to isolate the former “province”, which he says is of priority, and “continues his” forged “balance” between the EU and Hungary, China and Russia.

“So far, the largest country with the largest economy of BB6, Serbia has a tremendous impact on its neighbours WB6, especially in all three countries with significant Serb populations (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro). This makes Belgrade the main channel for Russian influence and regional destabilisation in the Balkans, as clearly reflected in public opinion polls”, the article says.

He recalls that the most shocking page of regional instability occurred in Kosovo on September 24th, 2023”, when a group of Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police and Sergeant Africa Bunnjak was killed.

“Five EU countries -- four of which are members of NATO -- do not recognise Kosovo”, writes Joseph, who further stresses that neither the US nor any EU country has recovered findings from intelligence analyses for the September 24th episode, “, let me condemn Belgrade”.

US “Offices seem to be satisfied with the resignation of Aleksandar Vulin, former notorious Serbian intelligence chief”, he writes. However, Joseph adds, the pro-open pro-rus vulin continues to appear in Serbian media promoting “Greater Serbia”.

“Operation Banjska suggested that official Belgrade be eligible to adopt autocratic leader Vuciq had drafted a plan to change the status quo in Kosovo by force. That such an insolent effort would take place in a NATO-protected territory, including nearby American troops, suggests a dramatic loss of respect for Western authority”, the American professor writes.

Joseph recalls that in February 2023, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as he writes, “surprised his supporters, and especially Vucijna accepting the new EU proposal, including controversial autonomy for Kosovo Serbs (Association)”.

He also indicated Serbia's somewhat withdrawal from the agreement on normalisation of reports.

“Even if the “abnormalisation plan” is not yet clear (and possibly impossible) if Kosovo even has a path to NATO and EU membership”, it writes.

As Joseph explains, <x0gter in Kosovo has been prolonged by European divisions over Kosovo independence”.

With Russia's active support, Belgrade can continue the status quo, isolating Kosovo until the EU and the US finally accept a strategy not unlike Putin's in Ukraine. In fact, the 24 September attack on Banjska may have been trying to speed this up”, he points out.

“Speeding up instability in the Balkans confirms Putin's claim that Western order is illusion and arbitrary. The position of non-recognists also allows Putin to use Kosovo as “precident” to tear Ukraine apart, while he and other Russian officials accuse the West of fragmenting Serbia”, Joseph writes away.

He writes that the West lost the opportunity to issue a strategic decision from Serbia at the beginning of the war in Ukraine to impose sanctions on Russia, and adds that “The US and EU officials appear to have been set for a very unstable situation ʹmodus viverimê with Belgrade”.

There are two ways for the US and leading EU partners for “to regain their damaged credibility and restore balance”, according to Joseph. First, it must, as the writer writes, that “Belgrade respects EU sanctions and shut down RT and Sputnik Serbia”, and second, “The US and key EU partners can encourage Ukraine to recognise Kosovo”.

Pristina's <x0.>Recognition by Kyiv would provide the catalyst for Kosovo's uniform recognition of NATO”, according to Joseph, as the country that is ♫ quoted American President Joe Biden “on the front line fighting to save the democratic principles that unite all free people”.

Joseph writes that Ukraine's “recognition would give Athens the context that Greek officials say should recognise Kosovo”. He recalls that “Athina already has good relations with Pristina and has expressed readiness to recognise Kosovo to advance important Greek interests”. He adds that “Athina needs stability in the Balkans and is interested in preventing a division of Kosovo, which would open the door to Great Serbia, the Great Albania and Turkish influence in the Balkans”.

He also writes about the possibility of Kosovo receiving recognition from Spain.

Spain's key decision in January to recognise Kosovo's passport (after EU visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens) suggests Madrid can move towards full recognition if Kyivi along with Athens and other non-recognitional countries change their” position, the American professor writes.

“As a summary, the grim situation after the invasion of Ukraine (of Ukraine) in the Balkans could be reversed if the US and the EU understand the implications for the overall fight against Russia and acknowledge that real stability requires proper attitude towards Kosovo. Belgrade's prayer ʹthe illusion that Vuciq will co-operate is a proven failure”, he points out. “Advancing Kosovo's uniform recognition to NATO (firstly) will support US-EU diplomacy, and finally bring Serbia to the Western rule's accession by leaving Putin more isolated and Ukraine more secure”, writes Edward Joseph at the end of the writing. /Express