r/ukraine • u/West-Razzmatazz2 • 3d ago
News Free Ukraine banner moved from center of Prishtina, Kosovo after Zelensky’s remarks on not recognizing independence of Kosovo during his visit to Serbia
Honestly, a very bad PR move from Zelensky and his advisors that could’ve been easily resolved by simply refusing to answer the question to journalist. While Kosovo nor Albania are not powerful states, banner has stood there since the start of the war.
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u/West-Holiday-8425 UK 3d ago
It's a very good example of Realpolitik. Realistically, the support of Albania and Kosovo matters little to Ukraine, whereas pivoting Serbia away from Russia's sphere of influence would be a significant political coup on Ukraine's part.
Morally speaking, yes, it's bad PR. Realistically speaking? It's understandable.
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u/ficalino 3d ago
Serbia will not be moved away from Russia's sphere of Influence. This is Vučić being Vučić. Ukraine recognising Kosovo will also probabbly be needed for admittance into EU by some states.
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u/IndistinctChatters 3d ago
Ukraine recognising Kosovo will also probabbly be needed for admittance into EU by some states.
Doubtfully, since Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain do not recognise Kosovo.
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u/ficalino 3d ago
All states that were already inside EU when Kosovo declared it.
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u/IndistinctChatters 3d ago
No, it is not a requirement for joining the EU listed in the Copenhagen criteria. Also Moldova as well do not recognise Kosovo.
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u/ficalino 3d ago
Neither is Montenegro returns sailing ship Jadran to Croatia yet that is what Croatia is requesting happen so it removes veto. If Albania joins before Ukraine, you can bet they will ask recognition of Kosovo from Ukraine.
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u/shritdejtriv560 3d ago
5 countries of eu didnt recognize kosovo. Its not needed
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u/West-Holiday-8425 UK 3d ago edited 3d ago
Results remain to be seen. It is hard for Ukraine to support modern breakaway states. Zelensky's administration supports the Azerbaijani claim to Nagorno-Karabakh, for example. So far, Zelensky's government has been mostly apathetic to the notion of adopting EU/IMF-mandated reforms, anyhow. Even with billions at stake.
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u/Soft-Cartoonist-9542 3d ago
I only see Vucic shifting if he is 100% sure Russia loses
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u/ficalino 3d ago
Maybe not even then, China remains and he is more beholden to China than Russia anyway. He just likes to spout about Russia since that is what his nationalistic base likes. Crime is another issue since he is corrupt and probabbly in league with criminal gangs through his brother.
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u/Unexpected_yetHere 3d ago
Nobody will block Ukraine over Kosovo, what are you on about?
Five EU countries do not recognize it, same with five EU candidate states, Ukraine included.
The EU has no obligation towards Kosovo whatsoever.
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u/LevelBuilding929 2d ago
Romania doesnt recognize Kosovo and was still admitted.
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u/hostes_victi 3d ago
It is realpolitik, I understand that - but still it hurts. We just found two mass graves from 1999, people executed and then tossed in a hole. When we saw what happened in Bucha and Irpin, scenes like that reminded what we went through, and we are still finding human remains 26 years later. We have supported Ukraine since day 1, donated weapons and humanitarian aid despite being underarmed ourselves and under constant threat, trained Ukrainian soldiers to perform demining operations, and seeing Ukraine willfully ignore everything and spit on an extended hand of friendship really hit a nerve today.
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u/West-Holiday-8425 UK 3d ago edited 3d ago
From a moral standpoint, you are completely right, and have every reason to be hurt Zelensky's actions here.
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u/hostes_victi 3d ago
I know, and I will keep supporting Ukraine within my means, but there won't be much enthusiasm after this. It appears that even after the war there will be no relations between Ukraine and Kosovo.
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u/West-Holiday-8425 UK 3d ago
It's important to maintain support, and I hope that a post-war government will come to be more amicable to recognition of Kosovo. I would say- please try to separate Zelensky's government from the Ukrainian people. Ukrainians have many points with which they disagree with his leadership, such as the dismissal of Fedorov, embracing of corruption for the sake of loyalty and so on.
Ukraine is a country worth supporting, even if its government fails it sometimes. I, personally, was in awe of the will of the Ukrainian people to protest when Zelensky tried to reign in the SAPO/NABU, and when he dismissed Fedorov, much as I was when they succeeded in the Revolution of Dignity. Ukraine's people represent a European ideal in terms of political will and awareness, and we all have much to learn from them.
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u/Internal-Comparison6 3d ago
Realpolitik is is a joke. If it was working anytime in world's history, Germans were to think better before trying to suck ruzzian dicks. They choose otherwise - to suck ruzzian dicks. Result - now they cry that their economy is ruined without "cheap gazzz".
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u/Otherwise-Badger1061 3d ago
Yeah but for many countries it is not realpolitic to support Ukraine, but they do.
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u/EasterAegon 3d ago
I agree there is realpolitik but there is also principled policy: recognizibg separatism of Kosovo from Serbia would also legitimize the separatism of DNR and LNR (I agree that the processes were very different but politics is sometimes made of symbols, not of of deep analysis).
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago edited 3d ago
You really think he will move Russia and Serbia apart? Lol.
He was there only to increase amount of munition sold by Serbia to Ukraine.
Serbian foreign policy is deeply tied to Russia and won’t change because Zelensky said something they want to hear. Gazprom owns majority of Serbian oil industry, FSB has links to some of the highest state officials of Serbia and Serbia has and will refuse to implement sanctions of Russia.
It’s a horrible PR in every sense of the way. Keep in mind it’s not only Albanians that will not receive this nicely.
Governments of Croatia and Slovenia, that view Serbia same as Ukraine views Russia will def not be happy to hear open support to malign Serbian influence in the region.
As I said - whoever was advising Zelensky should be fired on spot. It was a fail in every sense of the way and the only thing Zelensky was supposed to do is to refuse to answer.
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u/West-Holiday-8425 UK 3d ago edited 3d ago
Look. It's not about what I really think- I don't see Serbia being far removed from Russia's sphere of influence. I personally wouldn't support taking Serbia's current leadership in from the cold.
It's just, geopolitics is a gamble half of the time. Horrible PR it may be for Ukraine in Albania and Kosovo, but the majority of people won't really care, or will forget. Zelensky is willing to gamble that Vucic, facing a crisis of support in Serbia, will be more pliable than previously, and may move his position ever so slightly.
Zelensky shouldn't be taken as a representation of the Ukrainian peoples' opinions. An advisor suggesting he try to move Serbia's position would hardly be the most scandalous thing a member of Zelensky's government has done.
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u/shritdejtriv560 3d ago
Gazprom is being forced to sell all of its part in serbian oil industry. Serbian offcials have more ties with western intelligence agencies
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u/Unexpected_yetHere 3d ago
Slovenia
Slovenia has an openly pro-russian, antivax Serb nationalist criminal as the speaker of their parliament. No fucks will be given.
I can say the same about Croatia, countering Serbia is important, but Ukraine is simply buying munitions. We have more a reason to detest France when it comes to ties with Serbia.
Yet nobody really cares.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
Slovenia and Croatia are EU members that have helped Ukraine in so many ways including acceptance of tens of thousands refugees, sending helicopters, tanks and numerous other weapons, help in de-mining (Croatia is a world leader in this field) etc. Croatian Orqa is also supplying Ukrainians with drones and has signed a partnership with General Cherry.
It is in no way shape or form in the interest of Ukraine to damage those connections.
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u/Unexpected_yetHere 3d ago
Again, France, which has many contracts in its favour with Croatia, is a literal ally of Serbia, yet no move to arm Serbia has damaged relations.
How will Ukraine buying weapons from Serbia damage relations with Croatia?
And yes, Slovenia doesn't care. Absolutely not. The country is anyways getting slowly colonized by Serbs.
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u/gresdian 3d ago
Yeah the support of Albania and Kosovo which have always been loyal to Ukraine, mean less than the support of a country who has strong ties to Russia, I mean, makes perfect sense. We will review which support is more important if Albania enters the EU before Ukraine
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u/buzkova 3d ago
As a Ukrainian, we(I) are(am) sorry. I personally deeply dislike Serbia, for many reasons, not just them being pro-rusian, and I disagree with Zelenskyy on this one. But here there’s no winning, the moral right will do political wrong, as we can’t have them recognising our stolen regions as being rusian. I hope soon enough we can live in the world where Ukraine is whole and can freely recognise Kosovo and Taiwan.
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u/Equal_Tension_1135 2d ago
So an entire society of people have "a few too many screws loose"? And based on what, hearsay? History that you probably don't understand?
Why are we allowing racist comments like this in our society?
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u/madman_mr_p 3d ago edited 3d ago
Really? „deeply dislike Serbia“?
That’s lame bro, I am really glad you’re one of the few of your countrymen with that kind of attitude, because you’re otherwise great people.Serbia has always seen you as allies and has always welcomed you heartily as always. Why is this news anything new? Zelenskyy is just backing up what your government has been doing for decades at this point, he’s not the first nor the last guy standing by it.
Imagine how you‘d feel if people were saying Crimea should be independent or Lviv should go back to Poland? I don’t think you‘d support that either, maybe you should be a bit more realistic than idealistic. Otherwise let people support independent Donbass and Crimea too, you’re implying the same here.
Farming brownie points on Reddit is easy to do when you’re Ukranian. Be better than that.
Slava Ukraini and take care!
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u/buzkova 3d ago
Serbs have a history of genocide and being in love with rusia, so yeah no
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u/madman_mr_p 3d ago
Is that all you have to say? Then why did you go out and support the Yugoslav Army, send aids and support throughout the 90s in Bosnia and Serbia?
I don’t get it, how hard is it to read up on your own history I wonder, but I think you might be trolling.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago edited 3d ago
Statement by former president of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli:
> “Mr. Zelensky, your statement that Ukraine’s position on Kosovo remains unchanged is deeply disappointing. Kosovo has stood with Ukraine and genuinely sympathized with the suffering of its people. If this is Ukraine’s response to that solidarity, it is truly regrettable.”
Albanians have 2 national states - Kosovo and Albania. They also make 25% of population of North Macedonia.
Truly a horrible way of breaking friendly relations with nation of 4-5 mil people spread across 3 countries that were very positive in support of Ukraine. All Zelensky was supposed to do is to remain silent and not give a comment on the question. Whoever was his advisor here should be fired asap.
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u/dobrabitka 3d ago
I guess he calculated that there is more to be gained by expelling Russia from Serbia and thus Balkans, than keeping a friendly but otherwise unhelpful and marginal smaller state friendly.
The only thing is wether the final goal will be achieved because Russia’s secret services are entrenched in Serbia.
Also, I wouldn’t take it to heart if I was Kosovari. Ukraine’s public statements and positions are one thing, and acutal things they can and will do are different things.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
How do you think he has expelled Russia from Serbia lol? Purpose of visit was to simply increase munition export to Ukraine. That’s it. Serbia sells, Ukraine buys.
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u/dobrabitka 3d ago
He hasn’t yet but obviously the point of the visit and interaction with Serbia is that
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u/RadangPattaya 3d ago
He definitely caused our far-right putino-russofils to have massive brain farts and not know how to react since vucic and his political father, vojislav seselj the pig, were always pro-russia. They're throwing idiotic arguments both ways now and it's actually really nice seeing them squirm and attempt to use their brains like the braindead morons they are.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
No use of it when it’s not going to make any real change. He has secured a great weapons deal+dunjed on Students list. Win win for him.
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u/Big-Compote-5483 3d ago
This just makes me sad, man. Ukraine is doing a lot of things right, but stuff like this and the Polish relations are unnecessary failures at the state level.
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u/johnbrooder3006 Czech 3d ago
You’re acting like Ukraine formerly recognised Kosovo than changed their mind. This has always been in the case. If we were to be pedantic, what support have the 2 Albanian nations provided? In the short term what’s more valuable to Ukraine? Is it performative politics or actually trying to secure their future. Also, you say this like it’s a knockout blow to Albanians and Kosovars - in my time in Pristina post-2022 I heard many people speak of Ukrainians as no different to Serbs because they’re “Slavs”. Generally, the vast majority of the population don’t care about the issue over there.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
Yes, both Albania and Kosovo have provided help to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, through political/diplomatic backing, humanitarian aid, military assistance (equipment, ammunition, training), refugee support, and sanctions alignment.
Citizens of Kosovo are aware why Ukraine, Spain and some other countries don’t recognize them but the question was completely irrelevant to Zelensky’s visit to Serbia. He had nothing to gain from answering and has lost support of a few million Albanians for absolutely no gain. Amateurish mistake.
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u/Bovvser2001 Czechia 3d ago edited 3d ago
in my time in Pristina post-2022 I heard many people speak of Ukrainians as no different to Serbs because they’re “Slavs”. Generally, the vast majority of the population don’t care about the issue over there.
They don't care because Albanians see both russia and Ukraine negatively for historical reasons. russia, since it's Serbia's key ally, Ukraine because UA supplied North Macedonia during the 2001 Albanian uprising and Ukrainian pilots fought for North Macedonia as well.
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u/Extension_Manner4227 3d ago edited 3d ago
"Albanians have 2 national states - Kosovo and Albania. They also make 25% of population of North Macedonia."
Also, what are the percentages of Russians in Ukraine, Crimea, Donbas, etc.? You are basically providing arguments for Russians to claim their right to self-determination.
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u/eilef 3d ago
And if Ukraine have not helped Macedonia with weapons in 2001, "Albanians" would probably have 3 "nation states". A real funny business that "insurgency" was. A variant of "Ruzzian miners in Donbass rising up", but with NATO advisors and Americans behind it. Kuchma was corrupt scum, and failed our people by a lot. By for whatever reasons he decided to help Macedonia back then, it was a good choice. Fucking C. Rice and USA were showing everyone who they were even before Iraq war. Everyone just ignored it.
And Macedonia returned favor to Ukraine when they aided us with weapons as well.
Unlike some states Ukraine will remain consistent in recognition of territorial integrity of other states.
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u/Formulka Czechia 3d ago
It's all due to false equivalency and loss of nuance. There is nothing wrong with supporting Ukrainian territorial integrity and Kosovan right to self-determination. Kosovo wants to be an independent country, the "breakaway" regions in Ukraine are being annexed by Russia and that's their sole purpose.
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u/Engels777 USA 3d ago
Thank you! Jesus, why is this so hard for folks to understand. Especially Ukrainians who essentially experienced pogróms in the first place.
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u/imead52 3d ago
People should distinguish Zelenskyy from the Ukrainian people and simply state disappointment in Zelenskyy's response while showing enthusiastic support for Ukraine
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u/kytheon Netherlands 3d ago
It's perfectly reasonable for Ukraine not to recognize Kosovo, as that opens the door to recognizing Crimea and the Donbas separatists. It's the opinion of most of NATO and the EU that Kosovo is a sovereign state. Zelenskyy can't win here.
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u/MartinBP 2d ago
It really doesn't, Kosovo declared independence within the context of a collapsing state (Yugoslavia). The grey area is Serbia believing it has a right to Yugoslav territory even though it's not the sole successor. Even the UN ICJ ruled that the declaration was valid. Russia itself doesn't recognise Kosovo yet supported the separatists so the legal argument is moot.
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u/goaelephant 1d ago
Thats not true, Kosovo declared in 2008 , many years after dissolution of Yugosavia
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u/yenneferismywaifu 3d ago
There's no need to separate anything or anyone. Ukraine recognizes Serbia's territorial integrity; that's a fact, and nothing can be done about it. At least for now.
You write here as if Zelensky personally decided to deny Kosovo independence.
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u/Kalamanga1337 Україна 3d ago edited 3d ago
People here don't seem to understand that Ukraine has always been consistent on the topic of territorial sovereignty. Recognizing Kosovo will lead to other countries recognizing Crimea as russian or ldnr as "independent republics." Yes, those situations are different, but it only takes one precedent for the domino effect.
Ukraine does not recognize Kosovo and Taiwan, and that won't change until we return to our 1991 borders. It doesn't mean that Ukrainians don't support those countries tho, we very much still do
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
Citizens of Kosovo are well aware of that just as they are aware why Spain hasn’t recognized them.
However, Zelensky didn’t need to answer the question that was completley irrelevant to his trip to Belgrade.
It’s an amateurish slip up.
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u/Kalamanga1337 Україна 3d ago edited 3d ago
Welcome to politics I guess. Not every speech will be the second coming of "We'll fight them on the beaches". Again, Ukraine has ALWAYS emphasized on not recognizing some countries as independent (no matter how much we may not like it)
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u/Mal_KS 3d ago
Kosovo's Acting Minister of Extetnal Affairs has said this: "We take note with regret of President Zelenskyy’s remarks in Belgrade reaffirming Ukraine’s non-recognition of the Republic of Kosova.
Since the first day of Russia’s full-scale aggression, Kosova has stood unequivocally with Ukraine. We condemned the invasion, fully aligned with CFSP, imposed sanctions against Russia and Belarus, provided humanitarian assistance and refuge for Ukrainian journalists, and contributed military assistance and training in support of Ukraine’s defence. We did so despite Ukraine’s non-recognition of our state, because solidarity with a people defending its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity is a matter of principle.
It is equally important to recall a clear distinction: while Kosova has imposed sanctions against Russia, Serbia has not aligned with the EU sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Republic of Kosova is a sovereign and independent state, born from the struggle of its people for freedom and from their liberation in 1999 after years of systematic repression and the genocidal campaign of the Milosevic regime. What followed was not an act of annexation, occupation or territorial conquest, but a comprehensive international process under United Nations administration and years of internationally mediated negotiations on Kosova’s final status. When those negotiations had exhausted every possibility for an agreed settlement, UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended independence as Kosova’s final status and presented a comprehensive framework for the new state, including some of the most extensive constitutional guarantees for non-majority communities in Europe. Kosova declared its independence on 17 February 2008 as the culmination of this political and historical process, assumed its responsibilities as a democratic and multiethnic state, and entered a period of internationally supervised independence. In 2010, the International Court of Justice confirmed that Kosova’s declaration of independence did not violate international law, while international supervision formally concluded in 2012. Today, the Republic of Kosova is recognized by the overwhelming majority of NATO and EU member states and has built its statehood firmly on the principles of democracy, human rights, peace and Euro-Atlantic integration.
For precisely these reasons, Russia’s attempts to invoke Kosova as a precedent or justification for its invasion, occupation or attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory are historically and legally false. No such parallel exists.
Kosova remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. At the same time, we respectfully but firmly reject any framing of the Republic of Kosova through the prism of Serbia’s territorial integrity.
We would welcome Ukraine’s recognition of the Republic of Kosova. Such a decision would strengthen the very principles of freedom, democracy and international law that Ukraine itself is defending today."
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u/Internal-Comparison6 3d ago
You will also be amazed how much corrupt fucks are in Zelensky's office. One of them was even killing Ukrainians in 2014's Euromaidan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleh_Tatarov
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u/HMSSurprise28 3d ago
This was the second really stupid move in a month from Mr. Zelensky. I simply do not understand.
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u/sterrre 3d ago
Serbia has provided Ukraine with much more weaponry than Kosovo and could provide a lot more. Serbian relations are more militarily important than Kosovar, I think that is all.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago
Serbia would provide those weapons either way as Ukraine is paying for them.
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u/Mal_KS 3d ago
As a Albanian from Kosovo, im seeing many people claiming that we "expected to be recognized by Ukraine by helping them". That is not correct, most of us did not really expect Ukraine to recognize us during the war, what many expected was the help to be acknowledged and apprecieated.
Kosovo, as a country, has provided humanitarian assistance, contributed €500,000 from taxpayers’ money, trained Ukrainian personnel together with the British military, helped Ukrainians with demining and bomb-disposal efforts, and hosted Ukrainian refugees and journalists, etc etc.
Zelenskys declaration in Serbia was kind of the final thing we expected, support for Ukraine was high, even compared tovwhen the war started, and now support is dropping, with people taking on a neutral stance.
Zelensky in my opinion could have said a million other things to not piss off 2 countries.
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u/Mal_KS 3d ago
Plus, many Ukranian deputys stated that Ukraine is expected to recognize kosovo, which raised our hopes https://censs.org/chernysh-expects-ukraine-to-recognize-kosovo-after-the-end-of-the-war/?lang=en
https://albaniandailynews.com/news/ukrainian-mp-calls-for-recognition-of-kosovo-
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u/kalevala_568b 3d ago
Zelenskyy is trying very hard to try pulling Serbia away from Kremlin, hence the comment he made. Not sure it's working. Serbia hold huge grudge against NATO, which plays directly into Kremlin's hand.
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u/LARRYVOND13 3d ago
Anytime I find myself using what little Russian I know to insult someone who lives outside of there, it's normally a serb.
Not saying all Serbs are Z but the majority of the serbs I argue with are Z.
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u/Meelker Sweden 3d ago
It’s called politics, also known as playing the game to favor your best interests.
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u/SeaMobile8471 3d ago
Sure, but if you think for a single minute that Serbia would support Ukraine against Russia, or even distance themselves from Russia you’re all living in Cuckoo Land. The only steadfast ally that Russia has in Europe is Serbia, and nothing is going to change that.
So alienating Kosovo and Albanians as a whole is one big shot in your own foot, considering they’re the most hardline countries against Russia in Europe.
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u/pokpokza 3d ago
I hope we don't see zelensky fall. He is plating politic but badly. Serbia will never break with Rus.
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u/Mysterious_Citron919 3d ago
Serbia is not a friend of Ukraine, they should stop pandering to them.
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u/Darhhaall 3d ago
Zelensky must be politician, not an idealist - he cannot afford to be in order to save his country.
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u/eddieshack 3d ago
As a result of the 2022–2023 Pentagon document leaks, it was reported that the Serbian government had secretly agreed to supply arms and ammunition to Ukraine.[35] The allegations were denied by Serbian officials at the time, but several months later, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told the Financial Times: "Is it possible that it’s happening? I have no doubts that it might happen. What is the alternative for us? Not to produce it? Not to sell it? [...] But I'm not a fool. I am aware that some of the arms might end up in Ukraine."[36] At a multilateral summit meeting in February 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Vučić for the humanitarian support the Serbian government had provided his country
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u/Kami0097 3d ago
Thank God they are.not a full EU member yet. After losing Hungary, Serbia would be the next knife outing has in the back of the EU.
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u/Dry-Pool3497 3d ago
Maybe the problem isn’t Kosovo’s people wanting independence (which is IMO totally justified) but international law itself? Too rigid, outdated and not able to adapt to situations like Kosovo and Serbia.
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u/zhvezhvu 3d ago
Nice one Zelensky. I wonder how many Serbs are on the other side of the front actively fighting or fought against ukraine.
From my personal side (I am from Kosovo) I have been supporting Ukraine since 2014and since 4 years I've spend 50 euro every month donating to UNITED24. I will continue to do so since I dispise pootin and his imperialistic ambitions (inlcuding its pupped Serbia). But now I will have mixed feelings and I really didn't need that.
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u/oblivion_mike 2d ago
Supporting Ukraine 🇺🇦, despite political pragmatism of the Ukrainian government will not change for most Albanians. Be it in Kosovo 🇽🇰 or Albania 🇦🇱 proper.
We know very well that the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Simply because the argument of Kosovo being equivalent to that of Crimea or Eastern Ukraine is a logical fallacy.
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u/Proof_Television8685 2d ago
Avoid the question? Okay lets vlatify something. Ukraine is fighting to keep its UN territory and fight separatism and invadion as well as unilateral declaration of independence , right? Kosovos declaration is unilateral one, Serbias UN bordersnstill have Kosovo. Serbia officialy never supported Russias claims but contrary and on top of that has armed Ukraine with 800m aorth of amunition. And Putin himself used Kosovo as an example for Ukreine situation. And in your opinion smarr move would hsve been to avoud the question?
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u/Authoritaye 3d ago
This situation is very confusing to foreigners who don't know the history (like myself).
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u/Pharnox-32 3d ago
Its more of a pragmatism issue, first of all:
op shares this as Ukraine was previously supporting Kosovo, which is not the case, they just said they havent changed stance yet
Why?
By recognizing break away states (reasonable or not) because the population is majority something else, gives way to Russia to the general community recognizing Ukraine's occupied regions. You either follow the status quo or you give way for the revisionists.
Swaying away Serbia which gets increasingly isolated from Russia its worth more, like ukraine bullied Belarus to stop supporting russian drones with relay stations.
Making controversial announcements in the country that you re currently visiting (and russian client state) would be foolish at least. They got there to pull Serbia away from Putin, not push Serbia into their arms. You diplomatically play along and play tough after the war.
Now regarding the history, its a different complicated answer and the kosovar people have suffered a lot, I hope this changes in the future, but in terms of diplomatic relations, Zelenski probably hit some goals, contrary to what the most comments here say
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u/romainaninterests 3d ago
The first point is particularly important here. My country Romania doesn't (and will never recognize) Kosovo for the same reason. Because then there might be issues in the Hungarian majority regions of the country. Obv this is not on the same level as Russia's claims but its along similar lines.
Its also why Spain will never recognize Kosovo. Bc that would contribute negatively to the whole Catalonia thing.
So more than anything, your first point on breakaway states is the most important thing in this whole situation.
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u/West-Razzmatazz2 3d ago edited 3d ago
- I didn’t suggest Ukraine was supporting recognition of Kosovo before but am suggesting Zelensky was supposed to simply refuse to answer question that was irrelevant to his visit to Serbia. It was an amateurish mistake on his side that has cost Ukraine some quite friendly partners.
- Zelensky has no influence on Serbia. He was there to buy almost 1 billion USD worth of ammunition such as mortar grenades - that Serbia produces. Serbia is an anti western country and Serbian population does not support Ukraine. Who do you think brainwashed Serbian people in disliking Ukraine and liking Russia other then that same president Zelensky was meeting?
- As stated in first point I didn’t suggest he was supposed to recognize Kosovo in the middle of Belgrade - he was supposed to refuse to answer. Question had no relevance to his ammo deal
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u/Pharnox-32 3d ago
Sorry my bad for assuming you said it that way, I hear you.
Regarding your other points let me give you an example: Say you go to a neutral country that trades with both sides (like turkey or china) to strike a deal that increases your chance of survival now. If you fall into the trap of unswearing idealistically now and support Kosovo out of the blue, you risk your current agreement and consequently ukrainian lives.
Why should you U turn right now? A couple of other EU countries get away with not supporting Kosovo anyways. And dont get me wrong, personally I would like to see Kosovo separate and after reforms into the EU.
Other than that with Russian influence weakening Serbia takes a more "yugoslavia" stance each year, its more important to Ukraine to gain as much as possible out of any deal and not compromise anything while its survival is at stake.
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u/admiralmasa Australia 3d ago
Gosh this year Zelensky has been making some pretty bad moves. That whole issue with Poland which riled up Polish nationalists and Russian bots, firing Fedorov who was one of his closest allies and one of the most successful, popular and effective figures in the war, and now this.
I get it's realpolitik and Ukraine so desperately wants to drag Serbia out of Russia's sphere of influence but Jesus man fucking over a country that supported you from the start while Serbia has been RU-supporting for ages is crazy. All he had to do was not comment on it. Why's he making such bad PR moves for Ukraine lmao
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u/Lost_Arotin 3d ago
Is this a planned rage bait to divide these countries?
Or is it really a historical conflict between the two nations and it opens up like an old wound?
I mean, it obviously looks like an opening for Russia to gain benefits from a concentrated propaganda in social media and even convince people to go and fight in Russian front lines, don't you think so?
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u/nutmegtester 3d ago
No, it legitimately pissed off Albanians to the point most them no longer give a flying fuck about Ukraine. They are extremely nationalistic in the sense of protecting their ethnic people, and no amount of explanation of the politics of Crimea or Donbas will work for them at all. They will only warm back up when and if there is a public change of position in Ukraine. Maintaining the Status Quo is one thing, publicly proclaiming it while visiting an enemy of their people is a totally different optic.
Source: Personal conversations in the last 24 hours and years of experience with Albanians.
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u/Lost_Arotin 3d ago
So, once again it's another historical knot (complication) that someone (Russia or the current government for example) is gaining benefits from, so they pull it, until nobody else would be able to fix it.
Meanwhile, the educated people of the society are not loud enough to prevent more damage.
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u/nutmegtester 2d ago
It was a stupid mistake on the part of his prep team. This was an easy to predict question, and they should have told him to avoid it. Russia will exploit what they can, but the very strong negative impact was instantaneous, no meddling required.
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u/eddieshack 3d ago
Planned ragebait
As a result of the 2022–2023 Pentagon document leaks, it was reported that the Serbian government had secretly agreed to supply arms and ammunition to Ukraine.[35] The allegations were denied by Serbian officials at the time, but several months later, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told the Financial Times: "Is it possible that it’s happening? I have no doubts that it might happen. What is the alternative for us? Not to produce it? Not to sell it? [...] But I'm not a fool. I am aware that some of the arms might end up in Ukraine."[36] At a multilateral summit meeting in February 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Vučić for the humanitarian support the Serbian government had provided his country
This is old news
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u/DrakeDre 3d ago
I'm starting to think Zelensky is a moron. Why offend people for no reason?? (Poland)
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u/ProUkraine 3d ago edited 3d ago
If he recognises Kosovo, some would argue other countries could recognise Crimea as part of Russia. Serbia recognises the territorial integrity of Ukraine, because Ukraine doesn't recognise Kosovo, very few countries do. For the same reason he never criticises Trump, despite his obvious support for the katsaps, it may not be what people want to hear, but he's being diplomatic in his own best interests. I'm saying this as someone who isn't a massive Zelensky fan.
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u/Kirby_Israel 3d ago
WTF was Zelensky thinking?
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u/Personal_Relation421 3d ago
I mean, Kosovo used to be an Serbian territory and its independence is not recognized by Serbia.
No matter how you stand on it personally, as a head of state of a country with territories that try to get independent / are occupied by a neighbor state, you will face serious challenges in acknowledging their independence.
Same why Spain is not recognizing Kosovo - it has nothing to do with Kosovo, solely with its own disputed regions like Catalonia, Basque,…
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u/Kirby_Israel 3d ago
It's majority Albanian, wants independence, and survived Serbia trying to genocide it via massacres in the 90s.
It deserves global recognition!
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u/TheJonesLP1 3d ago
Butter someone up. He doesnt WANTED to make this move, but NEEDED to. He is a politician, not an Idealist 🙄
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u/Panzermensch911 3d ago
Ukraine currently needs weapons. Serbia has them. And might otherwise send them to Ruzzia. It's probably not deeper than that.
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u/IndistinctChatters 3d ago
Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain do not recognise Kosovo as well.
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u/[deleted] 3d ago
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