Serbian President: If Ukraine recognizes Kosovo, it will ‘lose everything in one day’

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic threatened that Ukraine “will lose everything it has in one day” if it recognizes Kosovo’s independence.

Vucic claimed that Ukraine would completely lose its political credibility within a day, Kosova Press cited him as saying.

“After that, how can Ukraine say that it adheres to international law? I am convinced that [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not throw this away… Ukraine is a friendly country to us. I think Zelenskyy is smarter than [Oleksandr Merezhko, Head of Ukraine’s Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee],” Vucic said.

Merezhko and British MP Alicia Kearns, along with a number of international politicians, issued a joint statement on Sunday in which they stated: “Kosovo is a sovereign country and functioning democracy. This fact should form the basis for our collective policy towards the current crisis. Attempts to disrupt democratic elections in Kosovo by Serbia must be criticized publicly as foreign interference with tangible measures implemented to hold them accountable if they continue to undermine free and fair elections.”

The Ambassador of Ukraine to Serbia, Volodymyr Tolkach, said on Tuesday in Ukrainian society voices are growing more and more for the recognition of the independence of Kosovo, and that a certain number of deputies in the Parliament of Ukraine are supporting the position for the recognition of possible of Kosovo.

However, Tolkach emphasized that “it is particularly important for Ukraine to respect and ensure the protection of the norms of international law by all states, especially regarding territorial integrity and the inviolability of state borders internationally recognized.”

“Ukraine’s position is principled and stable – Ukraine respects Serbia’s territorial integrity,” said Tolkach.

He did however note that the leadership of Kosovo “has taken a clear stance on condemning the Russian aggression against Ukraine, especially by sanctioning the aggressor”. This led to voices in Ukraine growing more and more in support of recognizing Kosovo’s independence.

“Ukraine, as a democratic country that respects freedom of speech, cannot limit the expression of the opinion of other politicians, the professional circle or the public,” he stressed.

The independence of Kosovo has been a contentious issue in the Balkans since it declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. The government of Belgrade has staunchly opposed this move, asserting that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. They have received support from several allies, particularly Russia and China, in refusing to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

The historical, cultural, and religious ties between Serbia and Kosovo have further complicated the matter, leading to ongoing tension and dispute. The situation has also been the source of considerable international debate and negotiations, as well as the deployment of peacekeeping forces to maintain stability in the region.

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