Don’t take it out on Zelensky over Kosovo

Last week, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, visited Belgrade, where he met his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vučić. It was Zelensky’s first visit to the country, which maintains excellent relations with Russia – so much so that Vučić was among the international leaders who took part in the recent Victory Day military parades in Moscow alongside Vladimir Putin. Belgrade is certainly close to Moscow, but it also maintains good relations with the European Union, with a view to one day becoming a member state. Vucic gave Zelensky a warm welcome, embracing him on his arrival and offering him a platform and prominence; for the Ukrainian president, it was very significant to set foot in a country that Putin regards as an ally, despite Belgrade often playing both sides in its international relations: it goes to Moscow but sells ammunition to Ukraine. Zelensky was accorded every honour and knew that his every move would be closely watched by the Kremlin, just as he knew that Vucic’s decision to host him served to send a message to Brussels.

During his visit, Zelensky also spoke about Kosovo, stating that Ukraine’s position has not changed and that, in essence, it does not recognise Kosovo’s independence and respects Serbia’s borders and territorial integrity. The reaction from the Kosovar authorities was one of dismay or indignation, and they proceeded to remove a large banner in support of Ukraine’s resistance from the centre of Pristina. Kyiv’s position is firmly rooted in its history; if Zelensky were to recognise Kosovo now, it would set a dangerous precedent that Moscow would use to justify its invasions and illegitimate referendums, and he would fall into a trap. He is well aware of Vucic’s dependence on Putin – indeed, he has reiterated that Moscow will stop at the Donbas and that it is just as well to accommodate it because it is impossible to defeat – but Zelensky forges alliances not on the basis of morality, but to shape his country’s future, force Moscow to make peace and save Ukraine. And alliances in an existential war are not for the faint-hearted.