Ivanov: If you're creating a story about Kosovo, do not suggest war, focus on discussions about normalization

Following the British Telegraph's report that the Kosovo Police is arming itself due to a potential attack from Serbia, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Research Center, Helena Ivanov, emphasized that it is completely wrong to suggest that recent escalations in Kosovo are leading to war in the region. She advised that anyone wanting to create a story about Kosovo should focus on discussions about the normalization of relations.

Ivanov expressed her perplexity on the social network "X" about why such a credible, high-profile media outlet like the Telegraph would broadcast "such a completely wrong story."

She also pointed out that as long as KFOR is present in Kosovo, the chances of a war breaking out in the Balkans are very slim, as KFOR has been and remains a guarantor of peace in the region.

"Therefore, if you want to create a story about Kosovo, I think you should focus on the discussions about normalization, their failure, the root causes, and how this has created a hostile environment in which functional coexistence becomes nearly impossible," she noted.

She added that the Balkans, in general, has been and remains an incredibly complex region, and anyone who wishes to write about it needs to do justice and provide insight into this complexity.

"Secondly, although we have seen significant escalations in Kosovo recently, suggesting that this amounts to war is obviously wrong. Instead, the recent rounds of escalation are primarily caused by a complete failure to achieve political solutions to key political issues, mainly due to the unwillingness of relevant governments and the EU's inability to effectively moderate normalization negotiations," Ivanov remarked.