Latinovic: Trump will accelerate the process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina

Former ambassador to the EU and member of the Forum for International Relations, Branka Latinovic, says that the new US administration will leave it to the European Union to conclude the process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina, however, she expects that the new US President, Donald Trump, will speed up the process through pressure, incentives, or deadlines.

"We should not expect greater US engagement regarding the Western Balkans. The European Union will be entrusted to finalize the normalization process between Belgrade and Pristina. What can and should be expected is that the US, and Trump personally, will exert pressure to ensure this is resolved more quickly, avoiding the inefficiencies, delays, and challenges we have seen in the past. Trump is known for disliking crises, conflicts, and uncertainty, so we can likely expect corresponding encouragements, and perhaps even deadlines, for when this should be completed," Latinovic told Kosovo Online.

She does not believe the US would address "territorialization" via Kosovo as a model for resolving the crisis in Gaza and Israel.

"I don’t think this issue will be approached in that way. However, it is a dual-track matter. Territorialization could mean maintaining sovereignty in its entirety, or it could imply other combinations and models. Current discussions in public about Ukraine also point to some form of frozen conflict. So, there would likely be no push either toward territorialization or its opposite. I think it is still too early to draw conclusions about how things will unfold. That said, we know Trump is unpredictable and impulsive, so surprises are possible," Latinovic emphasized.

She also warns that framing territorialization as a solution to end the conflict in Ukraine could lead to a shift in Moscow’s policy on Kosovo.

"When it comes to Kosovo and Metohija and Ukraine, the main question is whether Putin might seek a deal or balance, if he recognizes Kosovo, he could demand recognition of the territories he annexed in return. In this sense, we could expect some sort of proposal from him. Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen. These are just predictions, and there are no official statements confirming or denying this," Latinovic explained.

She adds that much more will become clear once negotiations begin and various options are presented.

"We will see then how this mosaic comes together, whether it develops as anticipated or takes an entirely new shape, based on ideas and proposals that emerge during the negotiations. For now, everything we hear reflects maximalist positions. Each negotiating party seeks to establish its maximalist position to later reach an acceptable middle ground, which is what we eventually call a compromise," Latinovic concluded.