Miskeljin: Trump wants to maintain stability in the region, while Harris would leave the Balkans to Germany

If Republican candidate Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election, America will aim to maintain stability in the Western Balkans, while if Democratic candidate Kamala Harris wins, she would leave regional matters to the German administration, which lacks the political will to pressure Pristina, says Marko Miskeljin from the Center for Social Stability.

He recalls that, during his previous term, Trump brought America back to the “center stage” of events and discussions in the Balkans.

“First, he appointed Richard Grenell, who was then the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, as his representative in the talks. I think this could happen again if Donald Trump is the one who gains the trust of the people. In that case, I believe the U.S. interest in regional stability would continue. The previous period has shown us that only the U.S. can exert real pressure on the Pristina administration and achieve tangible results, particularly when it comes to economic cooperation and growth,” Miskeljin stated.

On the other hand, Miskeljin points out that if Harris wins the U.S. elections, especially given her limited understanding of foreign policy and the events of the 1990s, the Democrats will likely hand over the Balkans to Germany and its foreign policy.

Miskeljin believes that Germany no longer has the capacity to influence developments in the Balkans as it once did and that there is no political will in Berlin to pressure the Pristina side when necessary.

“While the Pristina administration might initially favor Germany taking a leading role, if we look at the shared interest in normalizing relations and ensuring a normal life for all citizens of Kosovo and Metohija, we’ve seen that Germany no longer has the capacity to exert influence as it once did. We’ve also seen that there is no willingness to admonish the Pristina side when needed,” Miskeljin observes.

He adds that this was not the case with the U.S. under Trump, recalling that Grenell managed to topple the first government of Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti.