Those advocating to redraw the border that separates Kosovo and Serbia believe it can normalize relations between the two countries - a key precursor to either nation ever joining the European Union.Īccording to two diplomatic sources, under one iteration of the border plan, unofficially supported by senior officials in Kosovo, and Serbia especially, northern parts of Kosovo that are home to tens of thousands of Serbs would be exchanged for land in southern Serbia where the majority of Albanians - the largest ethnic group in Kosovo - live.īut European governments fear that such a plan, variations of which have existed for the better part of the past two decades, could end up destabilizing a region that just 25 years ago witnessed genocide and the largest conflict on European soil since the end of World War II.Ī spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said that normalizing Serbia–Kosovo relations is “crucial for the security, stability, and prosperity of both countries and the wider region.”īut they added that the UK believes this “should be on the basis of recognition of independent sovereign states within their current borders. Most Western nations recognize Kosovo, home to 2 million people, but Serbia, and notably Russia, do not. But, under President Donald Trump, the US appears to have adopted a more ambivalent approach.Įuropeans’ latest fears for the region center on Kosovo - which in 2008 unilaterally declared independence from Serbia - and the growing prospect of an agreement to redraw the border between the two countries. LONDON - European officials are concerned the Trump administration’s hands-off approach to diplomacy could risk destabilizing a tinderbox region in Southeast Europe.Įurope’s major capitals - and until recently, Washington - have long opposed any proposal that toys with borders in the Western Balkans, fearing that such moves would disrupt the region’s delicate balance.
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