In a high-level meeting held today in Brussels, talks between Belgrade and Pristina ended without achieving any significant breakthrough. Richard Grenell, the former Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, voiced his criticism of the Biden administration’s approach, citing its reliance on the European Union (EU) to lead negotiations rather than the United States taking a more prominent role.
“The Biden Administration’s policy on the current Kosovo-Serbia crisis is to let the European Union lead negotiations. It is exactly what the EU wanted. The 27 members have responded to the Balkan crisis by scheduling meetings, and making statements but have taken little action,” Grenell expressed his concern in a statement to The Pavlovic Today.
The tensions in the region have deepened since June 3, 2023, when the EU released a statement unequivocally attributing the current crisis between Kosovo and Serbia to the “fault of Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s unilateral actions” in northern Kosovo.
Grenell elaborated on the EU’s stance, saying, “The EU said Kurti must suspend police operations in the vicinity of the municipal buildings; announce elections in the northern part of Kosovo ASAP; and implement the previously agreed-upon commitment of the Government of Kosovo to form an Association of Serb Municipalities. The statement’s exact language of June 3 said ‘…to start without any further delay or precondition the work to establish the Association/Community of Serb Municipalities.'”
Despite the EU’s clear stance, Grenell pointed out that Kosovo’s Albin Kurti has continued to disregard these demands.
Grenell also criticized the EU for failing to hold Kurti accountable for his lack of cooperation, stating, “Instead of calling out Kurti’s inaction over the last three months, the EU rewarded him with another meeting in Brussels on Thursday, September 14, with Serbian President Vucic.”
He further noted that even German Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, who is known for his seriousness in politics, has largely remained silent on the issue.
Grenell concluded by emphasizing the importance of the EU’s commitment to its statements, asserting, “If the EU wants to be taken seriously in foreign affairs, then it needs to mean what it says. There shouldn’t be another meeting scheduled to talk about the issues until the June 3 demands are met.”
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