Spahiu: Russia is using the Kosovo precedent for its interests in Ukraine

Source: Kosovo Online

University professor Nexhmedin Spahiu has assessed that Russia is using the Kosovo precedent for its direct interests and that the key similarity between Kosovo and Ukraine lies in the fact that both are on the "Western side" – satellites of the Western sphere.

"Of course, Russia is using the Kosovo precedent. Russia has always sided with Serbia, but when it comes to its direct interests, it knows how to put aside Serbian interests for the sake of its own. When it needs to, it draws a parallel between Crimea and Kosovo," Spahiu said for Kosovo Online.

Commenting on recent statements by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama that it is wrong to make artificial parallels between Ukraine and Kosovo, Spahiu says there are more fundamental differences between the two cases.

"First of all, the difference is that Ukraine is a member of the UN, recognized by Russia, but is facing aggression. Kosovo is recognized by 117 nations, but is not a member of the United Nations. That is a significant difference. Another difference is that in Ukraine, there are parts that may not want to be with Ukraine, but no genocide or crimes have been committed or attempted by Ukrainian authorities against them. In Kosovo, the NATO intervention occurred because a million people were expelled and more than 10,000 people were killed. That is a huge difference," Spahiu explains.

The similarity between Ukraine and Kosovo lies in the denial of sovereignty.

"The similarity is in the denial of sovereignty, in this case, Kosovo's denial of Serbia's sovereignty. It is entirely denied, especially in the areas where Serbs predominantly live. On the other hand, Russia denies Ukraine's sovereignty in certain parts of its territory," Spahiu emphasizes.

He adds that the key parallel between Kosovo and Ukraine is that both are on the "Western side."

"The parallel is that both Ukraine and Kosovo are on the 'Western side,' satellites of the Western sphere. That is an important fact," Spahiu concludes.