Petkovic: Trilateral alliance directed against Serbia, threatens the stability of the Western Balkans

Petar Petkovic, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, assessed that cooperation between Albania, Croatia, and Pristina in the field of defense is an activity that directly jeopardizes the stability of the Western Balkans region, noting that it is clear such cooperation is not motivated by economic interests or the need to contribute to regional prosperity, but by malign intentions.

“Serbia, as a militarily neutral state and a pillar of regional stability, is the obvious target of this trilateral pact, and the alliance of Albania, Croatia, and Pristina is directly aimed against our country and intended to destabilize the region,” Petkovic emphasized in a statement.

According to him, Albania and Croatia already belong to a broader military alliance and, as sovereign states, may cooperate as they see fit; however, the inclusion of Pristina in formal security initiatives runs counter to the collective interests of the region and is contrary to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

“This is a direct provocation and an attack on Serbia’s vital state and national interests. The southern Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija is a post-conflict area where peace and security are ensured by the international military presence of KFOR, which constitutes more than a sufficient framework in which countries such as Croatia and Albania already participate. The formal inclusion of Pristina in any defense and security arrangements, however, is a dangerous precedent and an open display of animosity toward Serbia as a peaceful and well-intentioned neighbor,” Petkovic stressed.

He added that Croatia and Albania, instead of investing in the destabilization of the region, should make efforts to ensure that the Western Balkans finally become a zone of peaceful progress and prosperity, and in that regard follow the policy of peace and economic development that Serbia strongly advocates and implements.

The Kosovo Ministry of Defense announced today that, based on a joint trilateral declaration signed in 2025 by the defense ministers of Kosovo, Croatia, and Albania, a trilateral meeting of directors for defense policy and armaments was held.