According to State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Secretary of State Antony Blinken held separate phone conversations with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Monday to discuss recent developments in Kosovo.
The State Department characterized President Vucic’s decision to release three Kosovo police officers, a positive development. Miller said that Secretary Blinken “welcomed the news of the release of the three Kosovo police officers.” In his conversation with President Vucic, Secretary Blinken also emphasized the need for “accountability” stating that those responsible for the attacks on the Kosovo Force (KFOR), the NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, should be held responsible.
Furthermore, Blinken underscored the United States’ continued support for the European Union’s three-point plan and urged Serbia to promptly implement its commitments under the normalization agreement.
In his conversation with Prime Minister Kurti, Blinken urged an “immediate de-escalation” in the north of Kosovo, including a repeated call for mayors to work from alternate locations. The Secretary reiterated US support for the EU’s three-point plan and thanked Prime Minister Kurti for his participation in the leaders’ meeting in Brussels on June 22.
