“The friend Trump has with Putin shows that Kosovo is priority”

So says in an interview, but Radio Ana Di Lellion, professor of international relations in the United States. She says Serbia will be the one to determine the agenda for Kosovo, because it is already in its favour not only Russia but also the US.

Radio Kosova: Mrs. Di Lelio, since January of this year in the United States, Donald Trump is the new American president. The Kosovo government in the past four years has had wavering reports of former President Biden's administration, but in the past with President Trump. How do you estimate the Kosovo Government reports will be from now on with the new US administration?

Anna Di Lelio: First thanks for the invitation. It's always good to be on Radio Kosovo! That's a pretty tough question. Kosovo is a small, helpless country, I think there is no power today in front of the United States, and that is, of course, because the U.S. chairman, in this case, President Trump, has such a position in the international arena, where he tells people, big, small states, how to behave and what to do, otherwise he will oppose. You can try to be friends with Trump, but I don't know how much that will help you either. See the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. It was a friendly meeting, but nothing was achieved, even though France was a big and strong country. President Trump continued to repeat that Russia, did not invade Ukraine, but that the war was waged by Ukraine itself, despite Macro trying to convince him that this was not the truth. Tensions between the two leaders were noted. So, I can only imagine, even though I don't believe Trump would ever meet with Prime Minister Kurti or President Osmani, but the American President's representative, who can meet Kurt and Osman he would just tell them what to do, regardless of what Kosovars want to do, otherwise there would only be consequences. So we can only suggest to Kosovo leaders that they be more friendly with this administration, or that they have more coordination, and we hear more than they have to say. But I don't believe this will produce positive results for Kosovo.

Radio Kosova: Just days ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a meeting has been held between American and Russian representatives, the first type of this meeting since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. At the very least, he talked about reaching an agreement to find a solution to end the war in Ukraine. However, neither President Zelenski nor anyone from the EU was invited to the meeting. My question is that if we have an agreement between Russia and the US on Ukraine, can there be consequences for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking into account Dodik in Bosnia, and Alexander Vuciq, his desire to take over territories in northern Kosovo?

Anna Di Lelio: If I have to think about what could happen in this complex situation of forces and reports in the world, I think we won't have a quick deal, not even between the US and Russia for Ukraine. When I think of Vdalomir Putin, I think of Slobodan Milosevic, even though Putin is much stronger than Vucinqi. But if you remember during the war in the former Yugoslavia, Milosevic always claimed he was willing to negotiate for peace, when in reality he was waiting to change the state of world powers on the ground, and Putin was doing so. So even at this meeting with Trump, he's just saying he's interested in negotiating and reaching an agreement, but in reality he's only taking offensives in Ukraine, to consolidate his power even more in Donbask, which he already controls, but to gain even more territory, because he does not just Donbask, but wants all Ukraine. This will take too long. I am not surprised when Trump, has not consulted or included the EU, or Zelenskin, in these talks, because we are heading towards a new Yalte, the world divide between these two superpowers. I think China is left in Asia right now. In this situation we are discussing the fate of Western Europe. So I'm worried, not only about Europe or the Western Balkans where both Kosovo and Western Europe belong. Clearly, Putin wants to establish his empire. I don't think there's gonna be a quick peace deal. That's just words. In fact, the resolution that the United States supported on the UN Security Council is only a resolution that says come to talk about peace, about peace in general. That made me think about that question when they ask Miss Universe what your desire is and what it answers to world peace. We all love world peace, but in concrete terms we need to explain what this means.

Radio Kosova: Do you think Donald Trump is having a more friendly “ ” approach to Vdalmir Putin, in order to draw him closer to himself, but against China?

Anna Di Lelio: I understand, but I don't think Trump is a politician with such strategic vision for the world. He has a vision in which he sees himself as Putin's friend. It's not that they only lead with two world super powers, but they share the same view. We're talking about two super powers, but Russia's GDP, is about Spain. So Russia is poor, but it's still the same as Milosevic. If we let dictators do what they want to do, then we're just strengthening them. But they could create a shaft against China, but if you were in this Trump relief partnership and Putin would think they trust each other. So it's one of those marriages related to interest issues. The two share the toxic sense of the mask that characterizes dictators. They are surrounded by power, greed, and interest. There are no values we can share with them.

Radio Kosova: President Trump has declared that he can withdraw all American troops from Europe. This for Europe would imply pressure on security issues and economic pressure. I have two questions on this issue, what do you think would happen if American troops were to withdraw from Europe, and what would happen if we had the withdrawal of American troops from Bondsteel, Kosovo?

Anna Di Lelio: Yes, there are two questions. Europe is another issue, Kosovo another. Kosovo will be more exposed than Europe, even though the EU is such, exposed to attacks which may come from Russia. Europe has no capacity to defend itself, it has always relied on the US. Europe as a whole cannot make decisions. We saw this in 1999, if it wasn't President Bill Clinton, then we had British Prime Minister Tony Blair, but now Britain is not part of the EU. So if EU countries do not make the decision to raise their budget for security, Europe will be vulnerable. It is a welcome decision by a social-democratic country like Denmark that has made a decision to boost the budget for security. I think Germany, with the new government, will not be as soft as German Social Democrats, when it comes to investments in security. The Trump administration has shown that they want to cut defence spending and are getting people out of work at the Pentagon and everywhere. The friendship Trump has with Putin tells us that Kosovo is not a priority, I don't know if it's ever been for Trump, so I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled troops from Kosovo. Then Kosovo would be a matter of defence for Europe.

Radio Kosova: Do you think the European Union has the capacity to guarantee Kosovo's borders, especially those in the northern part of the country?

Anna Di Lelio: No, they can't and never could. Remember 2004, the situation calmed down only when the U.S. forces landed. I remember, during the protests in 2004, when American forces in Gjilan worked together at the time with the Kosovo Protection Corps, which were neither armed but managed to calm the situation. So even that world without the presence of Americans would be even more tense. Kosovo has small, professional but small armies, so you cannot compete with Serbia's military. I don't believe Serbs will come voluntarily to die in Kosovo, at least not as Russians, but should not be forgotten that there will not be much resistance in the north, because there is no great military presence there. These are not good times, these are times we need to worry about.

Radio Kosova: So you don't think a peaceful agreement can be reached with Serbia?

Anna Di Lelio: It all depends on what Serbia wants. Once again, Serbia is stronger than Kosovo. It is now stronger because there are two more countries on its side, the United States of America and Russia. Kosovo was once under US and NATO protection. But if that falls, then Kosovo is no longer protected, I don't know what else to say! Now everyone is on Serbia's side. Hopefully, since Kosovo is surrounded by NATO member states, there will be some kind of protection and security. Of course, we will not return with the 1990s, and we hope that Serbia does not have access to war. If you look at the history during 1998-1999, or read documents from the International Criminal Court, you see there were many judgments of Serbian military, who had deserted and did not want to come and fight in Kosovo, they were just forced to do this or those who came to volunteer grounds were criminals, but many others deserted, so I don't believe there will be volunteers who will come to fight.

Radio Kosova: So do you believe that Kosovo continues to be exposed, to the same attacks as what happened in Banska and Iber Lepenc?

Anna Di Lelio: This whole situation is possible. Maybe nothing will happen, but maybe it will. That's why the whole thing is possible, I can't say anything more. So when you ask me what can happen, it's the hardest question I can ask.

Radio Kosova: Why do you think the United States, perhaps now more, but the EU over the years, that has been much more tolerant, gentler to Serbia because of Russia or?

Anna Di Lelio: In the United States, there have always been parties that have been close to Serbia, have had consensus for Serbia. Serbia is the largest country in the region. It is bigger than Kosovo, it is a bigger market than Kosovo. There are more economic and political interests for Serbia because a false impression has been created, or wrong, that Serbia is a place of stability in the region, when, in contrast, it is a destabilising factor. This was a conversation I had with Sonja Biserko in Serbia, which at her meetings with all diplomatic representatives in the EU and the world, is repeating that Serbia is the destabilising factor in the region. You can't count in Serbia for Balkan stability, but here's the other impression that if Serbia is peaceful, the rest will be okay. But that's not the point. See only with the Special Court, it has been created why Serbia has wanted something like this, with the idea of sending former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders to The Hague and no longer having a wartime leadership. But neither is that enough for Serbia, because they always want more, so the peaceful side is not worth Serbia.

Radio Kosova: So you don't believe there will be more pressure on Serbia, on the administration of Trump and the EU, on Serbia, to reach an agreement with Kosovo and have more stability in the region?

Anna Di Lelio: No. There will be more pressure on Kosovo, for it to do more than Serbia wants, in order for Serbia to be represented as a stabilising country. Serbia will determine the agenda for Kosovo.

Radio Kosova: Once the EU is considered the main ally of the United States. Now there's a division of me, like Great Britain, but the EU is not in the same line as American administration policies. How do you think these reports will affect the Western Balkans, but also Kosovo?

Anna Di Lelio: I believe that depends on Europe. Donald Trump is not looking at Europe, he's sharing the world between him and Putin, so there's no middle way. But the EU can be a factor if they initially increase the defence budget and are united against Trump and Putin. On the contrary, Europe will no longer be a factor and the US and Russia will decide for it.

Radio Kosova: So Europe also has its own trumpet, like Orban, in Hungary, Slovakia?

Anna Di Lelio: But there's no unification, because there's what's called <x0 ... I am an Italian citizen as well, and Italian Prime Minister Djordje Mellon is the prime minister who comes from the right-hand side, who has had understanding of Trump and Putin, but has always supported the north-Atlantic alliance and took a stand against Russia in defense of Ukraine. But I agree with you that Europe will have difficulty being unanimous because of internal disagreements, but I believe a strong leadership in France and Germany can change that.

Radio Kosova: And all over, where is the Western Balkans in all this position, Mrs. Di Lelio?

Anna Di Lelio: They're in a highly greedy position. I don't know what they can do because they're not great powers. If the United States is withdrawn from NATO because we do not know if it will happen again safely. But we thought we might be in this position three months ago, no. But with Trump, nothing is predictable. I don't think he'll pull out of NATO, I hope not. But it can also stay in NATO, but which then opposes any decision, or NATO intervention. Baltic countries are in NATO, but they are also concerned or Scandinavian countries, which once did not even want to increase the defence budget, today have other positions because of circumstances on the ground.