“The Russian occupation of Ukraine is an unprovoked barbaric act and the United Kingdom stands by the Western Balkans region, ready to react in the event of Russian aggression against Ukraine,” said Stuart Peach, Britain’s special envoy to the Western Balkans in a meeting with journalists preceding the discussion at the Summit for Democracy in Southeast Europe “War in Europe: Impact in the Balkans”.
The summit was held in Budva on Monday (May 30, 2022) and was organized by the International Republican Institute (IRI), attended by senior officials from the United States, Europe and the region, as well as experts.
Speaking about the impact of the crisis in Ukraine in the Western Balkans, Stuart Peach said that “we must ready to react”, and that Russia has destructive intentions.
“No one can be peaceful in the Western Balkans region when it comes to the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, nor ignore them. We are sensitive to the fact that the war in Ukraine was preceded by other wars in Europe,” Peach said, adding that collective security was key.
“As NATO allies, we are aware of the importance of collective security. We must continue to build the capacity of the countries of the region, through the rule of law and strong policies, and in this way build resilience in the face of the situation we are in.”
He believes that it is necessary to continue building the capacity of the countries of the region, through the rule of law and strong policies, and thus build stability in terms of coping with the situation in which we are.
“Russia has destructive intentions for the region, but the UK government is standing by you on your Euro-Atlantic path to give the people of the region a better future,” Peach said.
The United States’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, noted that almost all Western Balkan countries agreed to force Russia to pay the price for its occupation of Ukraine through sanctions, support for Ukraine, and its people.
“I hope that Serbia will join the group and respect the sanctions when it forms the government,” Escobar said in an online speech at the summit. Serbia is the only country in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on Russia, despite agreeing to statements by the UN and the European Union condemning the Russian occupation of Ukraine. Escobar welcomed the reaffirmation of the “open door policy” by the EU and NATO.
“It also reminds us that six other countries are ahead of Ukraine,” Escobar said.
The Summit participants agreed that it is the obligation of every country in the Western Balkans to contribute to peace in Ukraine as soon as possible and on the road to the European Union, and that it is important for the region to cooperate.
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, also participated in the Summit. She said the war in Ukraine threatens the entire security architecture on our continent.
“Therefore, it is right to gather and send a clear message not only to Russia, but also to all those who stand by Russia. Let me express a clear position of the Republic of Kosovo and the people of Kosovo, and that is the condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine and full solidarity with the people of Ukraine. As was the case in the Balkans in the 1990s, I want to say that peace will win the war and democracy will win the autocracy,” Osmani said.
Krivokapic: Montenegro said NO to Russia
“Montenegro has 310 years of official diplomatic relations with Russia, but both St. Peter of Cetinje and Euro-Atlantic Montenegro knew how to say “no” to Russia and all others similar to Russia when they wanted to control the fate of the people.”, said Montenegrin Foreign Minister Ranko Krivokapic.
He was a panelist at the Summit for Democracy in Southeast Europe (SEE | DEM), organized by the International Republican Institute in Budva on Monday, and this year’s edition is dedicated to the aftermath of the Ukraine war in the Western Balkans.
Krivokapic noted that now everyone can see how crucial NATO membership is for the peace and stability of its members, and especially, he underlines, those who have similar threats as Ukraine.
“Montenegro strongly supports the people of Ukraine, but is also committed to fully fulfilling its obligations in European integration in order to enter the area of political, economic, social and military security as a regional leader as soon as possible.”, he said. /The Geopost
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