Kasolli: Osmani’s initiative is too late, Kosovo-US relations are no longer the same

Political analyst from Pristina, Afrim Kasolli, believes that President Vjosa Osmani's initiative to involve the United States in negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina is too late because relations with Washington are no longer at the same level as before.

"It is a fact, and it is evident, that relations with the United States are no longer at the level Kosovo enjoyed until the arrival of this government in power," Kasolli stated to Kosovo Online.

He emphasized that Osmani's statements in her annual address should primarily be interpreted in light of her intention to have the US support earlier demands for Kosovo to, in collaboration with America, take responsibility for drafting the statute of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

"However, I can now say that it might be too late given the current circumstances we are in. We still cannot say with certainty what stance the new American administration will take—whether it will support the dialogue process being conducted in Brussels and moderated by the EU, or whether it will insist on a parallel dialogue process led by the White House, as was the case at the end of the first Trump administration when the economic normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia was signed, specifically between former Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and the current President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic," Kasolli said.

He stressed that which option prevails will depend largely on the relationship between Brussels and Washington.

"This will mainly depend on the relationship between these two important diplomatic centers, Brussels and Washington. According to the current coordinates, Washington already supports the statute draft prepared by the European Union and offered to Kosovo. The only thing they demand from Kosovo's central authorities is to submit that draft to the Constitutional Court," Kasolli highlighted.

He also warned that future solutions related to the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina will depend on the evolving relationship between Brussels and Washington.

"However, if there is a change in the relationship between Brussels and Washington, it remains to be seen what solutions may be sought and in what form normalization between the two countries may be demanded," Kasolli concluded.