Milivojevic: There is a lot of pressure on Zelenskyy to recognize Kosovo; I do not rule out the possibility that he will make a statement about it in Athens

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced tonight that he would have a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Athens tomorrow, with whom he would discuss the increasingly frequent statements about Ukraine's recognition of Kosovo's independence, and former diplomat Zoran Milivojevic does not rule out the possibility that Zelenskyy will do so considering that, as he believes, he is under great internal and external pressures.

"He may recognize Kosovo under pressure from the Western power centers. I have the impression that Zelenskyy is being pressured to recognize Kosovo because they are using the opportunity to slightly improve the situation regarding the number of countries that recognize Kosovo, so this is their opportunity to force Ukraine to change its position, but then it risks the issue of principles, but I think that is not so important for the West," Milivojevic told Kosovo Online.

He emphasizes that the possible recognition of Ukraine would be pressure on Serbia to give up its position.

"But there is no chance, as far as we are concerned, we will not do it, and Zelenskyy is not independent and has both internal and external pressure. The problem is that Ukraine does not decide on its own; we also heard from them in Ukraine that the President decides on this and it is possible that now in Athens is the opportunity for him to make a statement about it. I have the impression that there is both internal and external pressure on Ukraine to recognize it," he says.

And the Americans, all those in the West who support Zelenskyy, as Milivojevic says, are looking for it, and this in Athens may be an opportunity for him to maybe do it.

He adds that this would then put pressure on Serbia as well and explains that the West wants to finish the recognition process in Europe as soon as possible and thereby force us to accept de facto recognition under the Ohrid Agreement.

"I am not ruling out anything; there is a lot of pressure on Zelenskyy, both internal pressure, but also pressure from those who support him, who are arming him. This in Athens is an opportunity for him to recognize it, and that would also be in function of pressure towards us. I am not ruling out anything, everything is possible, pressures on Zelenskyy are great, and since everything is important to them in the West, great and small, everything is possible," Milivojevic concluded.