The United States is “asking Serbia to withdraw its troops” massed on the border with Kosovo, a White House spokesman said on Friday, quoted by AFP.
KFOR troops in KosovoPhoto: Marjan Vucetic / Associated Press / Profimedia Images
“We are witnessing a significant military deployment by Serbia along the border with Kosovo,” including the “unprecedented” deployment of artillery, tanks and infantry units, said John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council.
He did not want to comment on the risk of a possible invasion in Kosovo, whose independence is not recognized by Serbia and which has been in the middle of very strong tensions for several days.
John Kirby pointed out that “following recent developments, KFOR”, the force deployed by NATO in this former Serbian province, will “increase its presence” in the north of the territory.
He was unable to specify whether it was a simple redeployment of KFOR troops in northern Kosovo or a net increase in the number of troops deployed by the force.
John Kirby said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday to express US “concern” and “underline the need for an immediate reduction in tensions and a return to dialogue”.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Serbia refuses to recognize the independence its former Albanian-majority southern province proclaimed in 2008, a decade after a deadly war between Kosovar guerrillas and Serbian forces.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday that Belgrade could achieve more in the dialogue with Kosovo through talks with the United States than through talks with the EU.
“I’m telling you this in the most honest way possible, because those people (in the US) – at least some of them – are trying to look at things realistically. Because they look at things in Serbia with more understanding”, Aleksandar Vucic told the host of a talk show on RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) in an interview on Wednesday evening, reports Serbian agency Tanjug on Thursday.
He noted that Serbia-US bilateral relations have improved in many areas in recent years, but that the clashes that took place in Kosovo on Sunday are a threat to this relationship.
“We didn’t need that in our relationship with America, but (Kosovo Prime Minister Albin) Kurti, of course, did,” concluded Vucic.
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