Kosovo situation about to escalate: France "very worried" - Putin spokesman assures Serbia of help
Created: 2022-12-14 05:11
By: Richard Strobl
The situation in northern Kosovo threatens to escalate further.
France is "very worried".
Russia sides with Serbia.
Pristina - Is an armed conflict looming in the middle of Europe?
The situation in northern Kosovo is currently extremely tense.
On Monday there were reports that Serbia had sent a military convoy towards the border.
Serbia had previously openly threatened to send troops to the neighboring country.
The international community is also viewing the situation with suspicion.
Kosovo situation before escalation?
France 'very worried'
As leaders fuel the Serbia-Kosovo conflict, France has expressed "very concern" after attacks on police officers and the EU mission in Kosovo.
"France condemns the unacceptable attack on the EU mission Eulex and all acts of violence in the region," said a statement by the Foreign Ministry in Paris published on Monday.
The Kosovar police dispatched additional patrols on Friday 9 December 2022 - after a night of tensions.
© IMAGO/Vudi Xhymshiti
Serbia and Kosovo should resume the dialogue mediated by the EU, it said.
France supports the European mediation, "which should advance Serbia and Kosovo towards a comprehensive and legally binding agreement and towards a European perspective".
Tense situation in Kosovo: Russia sides with Serbia
The Kremlin called for the tensions to be settled "through diplomatic means".
"It is important to us that all Serbs' rights are guaranteed," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the EU and the US of being responsible for the worsening security situation in Kosovo.
"Russia will continue to help Belgrade assert its legitimate national interests over Kosovo," she said.
For his part, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had stressed that he would try "a million times" to keep the peace before the army was put on combat readiness.
However, he also stressed that Serbia is ready to defend ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.
Kosovo, with its predominantly Albanian population, declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade still considers it a breakaway.
Belgrade is encouraging the Serb minority in northern Kosovo in their attempts to defy Pristina's authority.
(rjs/afp)