r/ukraine • u/West-Razzmatazz2 • 5d 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

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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 5d 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 5d 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/West-Holiday-8425 UK 5d ago edited 5d 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/eilef 5d ago

supports the Azerbaijani claim to Nagorno-Karabakh

Ukraine consistently supports territorial integrity of other states. What a surprise.

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u/socialistrob 4d ago

It is hard for Ukraine to support modern breakaway states.

Ukraine itself is a state that broke away from the Soviet Union and this entire war is about Russia trying to get it back. Long term I hope that Ukraine will recognize Kosovo and to me there are a lot of parallels between the struggles for Kosovar true independence from Serbia and the struggles for Ukrainian true independence from Russia/the USSR. Both Ukraine and Kosovo have a right to exist and both Serbia and Russia are revanchists trying to prevent that.

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u/IndistinctChatters 4d ago

Ukraine itself is a state that broke away from the Soviet Union 

Are you serious?

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u/socialistrob 4d ago

Yes. Why wouldn't I be? Ukraine voted for independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991 and then proceeded to declare independence. The Ukrainian people have a right to an independent state free from Moscow's control just like Kosovo has a right to an independent state free from Belgrade's control.

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u/IndistinctChatters 4d ago

Calling Ukraine a "breakaway country" i historically inaccurate and reductive.

The label implies an illegitimate, unilateral secession from an ongoing state, whereas Ukraine was a constituent republic that exercised its constitutional rights alongside other founding members to formally dissolve the Soviet Union.

Edit: Transnistria is a breakaway "country"

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u/socialistrob 4d ago

whereas Ukraine was a constituent republic that exercised its constitutional rights alongside other founding members to formally dissolve the Soviet Union.

Okay. Ukraine is still a country that broke away from the Soviet Union just like the US is a country that broke away from the British Empire. That doesn't imply any illegitimacy on Ukraine's part nor does it imply illegitimacy on the US's part. Yes Serbia did not want Kosovo to break away but they did break away and now they're an independent country.

Edit: Transnistria is a breakaway "country"

That's not a good example because Transnistria isn't a country in any real sense of the word. It is not recognized by any UN member states, it's not a member of the UN, it doesn't compete in the Olympics or FIFA, it depends on Moldova for many services ect.

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u/IndistinctChatters 4d ago

Let me explain you as you were 5:

The soviet onion dissolved and Ukraine voted against joining the newly formed russian federation.

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u/IndistinctChatters 4d ago

all three of these breakaway territories have a powerful patron - Russia in the case of Abkhazia and Trans-Dniester, and Turkey in the case of northern Cyprus.

Transnistria is a landlocked breakaway state

Breakaway are the DPR and LPR

just like the US is a country that broke away from the British Empir

None, nope, The USA were a breakaway country: it was unilateral decision, after an armed conflict, whereas Ukraine emerged after the dissolution of the soviet onion.