Kosovo’s acting Foreign Minister and Minister for Diaspora, Glauk Konjufca, has accused Serbia of continuing to pose a threat to peace and stability in the Western Balkans, while criticizing what he described as the European Union’s overly tolerant approach toward Belgrade.
Speaking at the ninth Conference of Ambassadors of the Republic of Kosovo, Konjufca said Serbia’s official rhetoric toward Kosovo remained aggressive and pointed to Belgrade’s expanding military cooperation with China and its positions on major international developments.
“At the same time, Serbia has intensified military cooperation with countries such as China and is the only country in the region that took part in the funeral ceremony of former Iranian leader Khamenei,” Konjufca said.
He argued that Serbia’s foreign policy could no longer be characterized simply as an attempt to balance between different international powers.
“This orientation of Serbia is more than a dual position on the international stage. The unchanged aggressive rhetoric of official Serbian policy toward the Republic of Kosovo demonstrates that Serbia is a source of threat and instability to regional and European peace,” Konjufca said.
He also referred to a controversial statement by a Serbian minister who reportedly said that, had she been in the position of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, she would again carry out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
“Such a statement must be taken seriously not only by the state of Kosovo, but equally seriously by our international allies, who have invested and continue to invest in the security and peace of our region,” Konjufca said.
According to the acting foreign minister, the EU’s response to Serbia has contributed to the continuation of such rhetoric.
“The tolerant positions of the European Union toward such positions by Serbia have encouraged Serbia itself,” he said.
Konjufca also used the conference to outline Kosovo’s broader foreign-policy orientation, emphasizing its alignment with Western allies and support for Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
He said Kosovo had consistently supported the Western alliance in defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and had backed the sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries.
“The Republic of Kosovo stands firmly in support of the Western alliance in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine against Russian aggression and has supported all sanctions imposed by the Western alliance on the Russian Federation,” Konjufca said.
He also reaffirmed Kosovo’s alignment with the United States on Middle East policy, citing Kosovo’s participation in the Peace Board established by US President Donald Trump and the deployment of Kosovo Security Force personnel to Gaza as part of a peacekeeping mission.
“The Republic of Kosovo stands alongside our greatest ally, the United States of America, in its efforts to build peace in the Middle East,” he said.
Konjufca described the Conference of Ambassadors as an annual forum for reviewing Kosovo’s diplomatic achievements and assessing international developments affecting the country’s foreign-policy objectives.
He stressed the need for Kosovo’s diplomatic institutions, missions and representatives abroad to remain prepared to defend the country’s interests and clearly communicate its positions on international developments.
The remarks come amid continued tensions between Prishtina and Belgrade and broader debate over the EU’s approach to Serbia, Kosovo and security in the Western Balkans.
