Melanie McDonagh Melanie McDonagh

Could Russia stoke conflict between Serbia and Kosovo?

Nato soldiers in Kosovo (Credit: Getty images)

The prime minister of Kosovo has been talking about a possible war in the country, with Russia as the instigator. In an interview with La Repubblica, Albin Kurti said: ‘The risk of a new conflict between Kosovo and Serbia is high. I would be irresponsible to say otherwise, especially since the world has seen what Russia has done to Ukraine. We are a democracy bordering on an autocracy, after all. Before the invasion of Ukraine, the opportunities were few, now the situation has changed.

‘The first episode, a consequence of the Kremlin’s fascist idea of ​​Pan-Slavism, was Ukraine. If we have a second episode, for example in Transnistria, then the chances that a third war will take place in the Western Balkans, in particular in Kosovo, will be very high.’

Ever since that regrettable incident in Sarajevo in many Augusts ago, the mention of trouble in the Balkans makes everyone twitchy

Should we be worried? The BBC on Sunday carried a highly-charged interview with the Kosovan president, Vjosa Osmani, who declared that the situation of Kosovo in respect of Serbia, with Russia at its back, was more or less that of West against East, democracy versus autocracy. And ever since that regrettable incident in Sarajevo in many Augusts ago, the very mention of trouble in the Balkans makes everyone twitchy.

I’d say we should calm down. Not that I’m infallible; I was the one who went around saying that Russia would never invade Ukraine. But although there are tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, they are very unlikely to lead to war. Certainly Russia takes a proprietorial approach to Serbia; Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, often talks about Kosovo as an object lesson in how not to conduct international affairs. And there have been some ugly incidents lately: attacks on guards on the northern border at Mitrovica; a demonstration about Kosovan Serbs having to use car licences issued in Pristina; and a rather obvious Russian female spy arrested lately at the Kosovan border.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in