Kesic: Pristina is causing crises, trying to take advantage of the US government transition

Political analyst Obrad Kesic stated that Pristina is attempting to take advantage of the transition of power in the United States to pressure the incoming administration of Donald Trump into continuing the existing US policies toward Serbia.
“We saw something similar regarding Ukraine with outgoing President Biden’s decision to use long-range missiles, which escalates the situation,” Kesic told Kosovo Online.
He warns that the period leading up to Trump’s inauguration on January 20, and the subsequent six to eight months, is critical. During this vacuum, many actors, including Pristina, will attempt to assert their interests.
“It will take six to eight months for the new administration to establish itself and appoint a complete team to implement its announced policies. This creates a window of opportunity that not only Pristina but also others are eager to exploit,” Kesic said.
He emphasizes that the primary objective is to secure a better position with the new administration, which may involve actions designed to attract attention.
“This means they will provoke various crises, hoping that the new administration will, by inertia, align with and support them. They don’t expect those in US institutions to change their perspective on every issue in the Western Balkans, so they see an advantage in this six-to-eight-month window before new officials are appointed,” Kesic explained.
Despite some nominees openly supporting Pristina, Kesic argued that the new US administration is good news for Serbia.
“For Belgrade, this is good news. Not only will Washington’s pressure on Serbia regarding relations with Russia diminish, but the aggressive foreign policy of the previous administration, particularly concerning the so-called independence of Kosovo and internal disputes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will also likely be scaled back,” Kesic emphasized.
Kesic sees a significant shift in the State Department’s stance toward Serbian national interests.
“Official America, particularly the State Department, has historically taken positions contrary to Serbian interests, often implementing policies reminiscent of the 1990s, where any nationalism in the Western Balkans was acceptable except for Serbian nationalism. Serbian national interests were always portrayed as threatening peace and stability in the region. This will no longer happen, which is crucial,” Kesic stressed.
When asked about possible implications if Mark Rubio or Matthew Whitaker were nominated as Secretary of State or US Ambassador to NATO, Kesic suggested interpreting their statements within a broader context.
“Previous statements cannot be assumed to reflect future policy. These individuals advocated for specific positions in circumstances dominated by globalist ideologies, which influenced US interventions, not only in the Middle East but also in the former Yugoslavia,” Kesic said.
He explains that Trump has clearly outlined an anti-globalist foreign policy, with full support from Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who is expected to play an active role in shaping US foreign and security policy.
"Under these circumstances and in light of recent statements, for example, by Senator Rubio, who was previously well-known for certain statements that were interpreted as 100% supportive of US policies in the former Yugoslavia, he is now the only senator who has critically spoken out against US sanctions," Kesic noted.
He adds that Rubio did so to protect US interests, particularly its currency, the dollar.
Kesic believes that with Donald Trump, there will be a complete "new wave", a shift in US policy compared to the last 70 years, and that the key objectives Trump outlined during his campaign are entirely in line with the interests of the Serbian people in the Western Balkans.
"We are witnessing a new wave through this movement created and led by President Trump, who emphasizes that America sees its global role differently than it has over the past 70 years. Under the leadership of the newly elected president, America will absolutely not focus on regions that are not central to its interests, which includes the Western Balkans. If these key goals defined during the campaign are implemented, this will absolutely benefit not only Serbia and Republika Srpska but also the Serbian people as a whole in the Western Balkans," Kesic concluded.
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