Countryman: Kosovo issue will not be among Trump’s priorities

The issue of Kosovo will not be among Donald Trump’s priorities, and the problem with the stalled dialogue lies neither in Brussels nor Washington, but in Belgrade and Pristina, Thomas Countryman, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, says for Kosovo Online.

When asked about the possibility that a new US administration under Donald Trump might resolve the Kosovo issue through a "territorial solution" while also addressing the Israel-Palestine question, the former senior American diplomat expressed skepticism.

"I won’t comment on Palestine or Ukraine, but as far as the Balkans are concerned, the Serbia-Kosovo issue will not be a top priority for Donald Trump. In fact, it won’t even be among the top 50 priorities," Countryman emphasized.

He believes that the idea of dividing territories was flawed from the start.

"I said five years ago, when it was first mentioned, that it wasn’t a good idea. It’s not a good idea because there would be no end to it. There are no ethnically pure states in the Balkans, and if a country cannot function as a multiethnic entity, the problem cannot be resolved by exchanging people or territories," Countryman said.

He added that it is a misconception to think the US and EU bear the greatest responsibility for the stalled negotiations.

"It seems to me that the problem with the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina does not lie in Washington or Brussels. The problem lies in Belgrade and Pristina. And a new US president cannot change that fact," Countryman stressed.

He also clarified that it is impossible to resolve the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine in the same manner.

"I don’t see the connection, to be honest," Countryman concluded.