A new chapter in the relations between Serbia and the US: Renewal of the alliance is a mutual need

Both Serbia and the US have many reasons for good and intense mutual relations, and it is not at all strange that lately the positions of Belgrade and Washington are getting closer, despite the issue of Kosovo, which is the most sensitive topic for both sides.

A strong contribution to the construction of bridges of cooperation between Serbia and the US was the topic of the last weekend's gathering of organizations of Serbian emigrants and people of Serbian origin in Washington, the first of its kind in many years.

The gathering called "Strengthening the Ties" was organized by the Embassy of Serbia in Washington, and with the support of President Aleksandar Vucic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was attended by prominent businessmen, artists, doctors, lawyers, professors, as well as Serbs who are active in American politics.

The two countries, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1882, have "always looked at things the same way" for more than 100 years, from the First World War to the advent of Nazism, when Serbia was the only one in the region to stand side by side with Washington. The relationship broke down in the early 1990s, along with the breakup of Yugoslavia, and Washington eventually led NATO in its aggression against Serbia in 1999.

Now, 24 years later, the US and Serbia are on their way to not only being allies again but also to renewing their friendship. Especially in the context of the war in Ukraine and the further development of international relations, which have always been intertwined in the Balkans between the great powers.

The interlocutors of Kosovo Online, Srdjan Graovac from the Center for Social Stability and analyst Milovan Jovanovic, agree that today it is in Washington's interest to have Serbia as an ally, as a key country in the Western Balkans, and that Serbia has many reasons to achieve closer relations with the US.

Srdjan Graovac from the Center for Social Stability says that it is in the best interest of Serbia to have the best possible relations with the US, which is the biggest power in the world, but also that Washington recognized the fact that without Serbia there was no stability in the region, which is why both countries, during the last years, were trying to build the best possible cooperation.

"Relations between Serbia and the US are on an upward trajectory, but the problem of Kosovo and Metohija should also be taken into account, where some kind of agreement should be made. If the US would show more willingness to cooperate on this matter, which has not really been the case so far, relations would continue to improve. The fact is that since the Washington Agreement there has been a mutual desire to build better cooperation, America has included the Open Balkan initiative in its foreign policy agenda and has shown that it counts on Serbia and sees it in its zone of influence," Graovac says.

Graovac points out that the most important issue between the US and Serbia is that of Kosovo and Metohija.

"I repeat, if the US is ready to meet Serbian positions on the issue of Kosovo - that Serbia should not be absolutely defeated, but that the negotiations must end with some kind of agreement, i.e. compromise, where one side cannot lose everything, then those relations can progress further. In the end, everything comes back to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Even much larger countries than Serbia care very much about having good relations with the US. Bad relations with Washington can only harm Serbia," Graovac pointed out.

Milovan Jovanovic, a journalist and political commentator, says for Kosovo Online that "Serbia and America understand each other much better today, and that relations are constantly on the rise, regardless of individual unresolved issues and occasional problems."

"The fact is that this is the period of the best bilateral relations between Serbia and the US, since the time of the wars of the nineties. The unreasonable and crazy policy of the Milosevic regime, at the time, broke all ties and damaged the relations between the two countries. With smart and responsible policies, President Vucic showed himself to be a serious, reliable, and sincere partner in the last 10 years. He managed to improve and strengthen relations with the US. From Washington's point of view, Serbia is a key country in the Western Balkans, and its president is the most important political figure in the region," Jovanovic says.

Jovanovic states that "whether someone likes it or not, the US is still the most powerful, and influential country in the world".

"It is extremely important for Serbia to have the US on its side. Our two nations share a history steeped in friendship and alliance from two world wars. Serbia plays a key role in ensuring regional stability. We should not forget the influence of the Serbian diaspora in the US, which gave a lot of successful, respectable, rich, and influential people who, unfortunately, we were not able to use properly. Diaspora is a great potential that other countries like Greece, Armenia, Ireland, Italy, or Albania successfully use. Ambassador Djuric and his team work seriously and well and the results can be seen," Jovanovic concluded.