Blagojevich: Trump sees Serbia as a partner with which America should develop closer cooperation

The administration of Donald Trump has changed its approach toward the Western Balkans, particularly toward Serbia, and this could represent the beginning of a historically new relationship between Serbia and the United States, former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich said, stating that Trump sees Serbia as a partner with which America should develop closer cooperation.

"President Vucic recently invited President Trump to come to Belgrade. When I return to Washington and speak with some people in his administration, I will try to move that request higher up the chain. He knows he has been invited several times, and I believe President Vucic is right when he says that the Serbian people would welcome President Trump and wish him well, because previous administrations were bad toward Serbia," Blagojevich told Newsmax Balkans.

He criticized previous US administrations, stating that, in his opinion, they had pursued poor policies toward Serbia, and expressed regret for his earlier support of Bill Clinton's policies, particularly regarding the 1999 bombing of Serbia.

"I am ashamed that I was in the Democratic Party, which was so bad toward Serbia. At the time, I supported Bill Clinton, who, then, bombed Serbia without any authorization. Back then, I called Clinton Putin before Putin, because he did exactly what Putin later did. He attacked another country without authorization. Clinton and NATO took away a part of the state that belongs to Serbia, and that is Kosovo," Blagojevich explained.

The former governor stated that, in his view, Serbia is experiencing strong economic growth and that the country's "energy" is very strong.

He said that Serbia's gross domestic product is growing and that wages and pensions have allegedly increased several times over since 2012, attributing this to the current leadership.

"Serbia could become an ally similar to what Viktor Orban once was. There are significant economic opportunities for cooperation with the United States, including the potential for the expansion of American companies in the region," Blagojevich explained.

He added that it is important for the United States to recognize the strategic importance of the Western Balkans and carefully choose its partners in the region.

Speaking about where he sees Serbia-US relations in the next five to ten years, Blagojevich said that he expects a strong alliance.

However, he added that this could change depending on political circumstances in the United States.

He said that if the Democratic Party were to return to power, relations could be different.

He also added that the upcoming Expo 2027 specialized exhibition represents an additional opportunity for economic development and cooperation.

Blagojevich recalled that during his political career he governed a large American state and that this experience helped him understand the responsibilities of leadership.

He also noted that leaders of countries such as Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, and the United States are constantly subjected to scrutiny regarding their decisions, but that in politics there is never an ideal or perfect situation.

"Just as Vucic fights for the people here, and President Dodik fights for the people in the Republic of Srpska, and I certainly know how Trump fights for the American people. In those positions, the positions of leaders of states such as Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, and the United States, people will always question what you do," Blagojevich stressed.

He also said that the end of the conflict in the Middle East can be seen on the horizon in the near future and that this could be an important step toward greater global security, particularly in the context of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

"Certain countries and actors pose a threat not only to Israel, but also to the United States and the entire world. US President Donald Trump has demonstrated skill in trying to limit such dangers," Blagojevich added.

He also believes that Iran has not achieved what it wanted, stating that it has repeatedly lost members of its leadership and that its military has been significantly weakened, while the regime, as he put it, is facing internal unrest.

"The United States has taken an important step in strengthening global security and preventing further threats," Blagojevich said.