Belgrade continues to support destabilizing structures and refuses to acknowledge the reality in Kosovo

In a hearing of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, American lawmakers and security experts warned that unresolved relations between Kosovo and Serbia continue to cause instability in the Western Balkans, while Serbia remains one of the main focuses of Russian influence in the region.

Officials and foreign policy researchers said relations between Kosovo and Serbia are one of the most important factors hindering the consolidation of security in Southeast Europe.

In their view, Serbia continues to pursue a dual strategy toward the West and maintains a strategic alliance with Russia. They emphasized that Russian influence in Belgrade is directly reflected in the ongoing tensions in northern Kosovo.

“The unresolved issue between Kosovo and Serbia is not just a frozen conflict, but an active source of instability in the Balkans,” the hearing said. “Every time tensions escalate, it is not only Kosovo that is at risk, but the entire Euro-Atlantic security.”

The report also highlighted that Serbia, through Milorad Dodik, is using the institutional and political space in Bosnia and Herzegovina to increase pressure on Bosnian state structures and exacerbate the internal crisis.

Several speakers called on the United States to reconsider its “unbalanced” approach to the two countries, stressing that treating Kosovo and Serbia symmetrically did not reflect the reality on the ground.

“Serbia can no longer be perceived as a neutral actor. Belgrade continues to support destabilizing structures and refuses to acknowledge the reality in Kosovo.” The hearing concluded with an appeal to US diplomacy to increase pressure on Serbia and intensify engagement in Kosovo in order to avoid escalation scenarios and stabilize the region. /TheGeoPost

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6OTytjZysc