Ukrainian lawmaker Kira Rudik has publicly disagreed with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent remarks on Kosovo, saying that his position that Ukraine would not recognize Kosovo had not been discussed with the Ukrainian parliament.
Speaking to A2CNN, Rudik said she did not agree with Zelensky’s stance and argued that Ukraine should take into account the countries and people who have supported Ukrainians since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“I do not agree with President Zelensky’s position,” Rudik said, adding that while Ukrainian officials usually present a united front on international issues, she believed the Kosovo question should be approached differently.
According to Rudik, Zelensky’s statement was made without prior discussion in the Verkhovna Rada. She also pointed to parliamentary initiatives and international organizations involving Ukrainian lawmakers that support Kosovo.
“There are also international organizations with the Ukrainian Parliament that support Kosovo,” Rudik said, referring to an organization she identified as “Free Kosovo.”
Rudik used the opportunity to thank countries and individuals who have supported Ukraine and sheltered Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war. She argued that Ukraine’s international partners should be treated with consideration as Kyiv continues to seek support against Russia.
“If Russia wins, we all lose,” Rudik said, stressing the need for democratic countries to find constructive ways forward.
Warning over Russia and NATO
The Ukrainian MP also warned that Russia could seek to test NATO’s response through provocations against one of the alliance’s smaller member states.
Rudik said she did not expect Russia to launch a full-scale attack against NATO, but argued that Moscow could attempt to test the alliance’s willingness and ability to respond to an attack on one of its members.
She specifically pointed to the Baltic states, which have smaller populations and armed forces than many other NATO members.
“I think Russia will try to provoke and see what the response of NATO will be if they attack one of the NATO states,” Rudik said.
Her comments come as Ukraine continues to depend heavily on international military and political support in its war against Russia. Rudik, who leads Ukraine’s Holos party and serves as a member of the Ukrainian parliament, has been a prominent international advocate for continued support for Kyiv.
The dispute over Kosovo adds another dimension to Ukraine’s foreign-policy debate. While Zelensky has maintained Ukraine’s existing position of non-recognition, Rudik’s comments demonstrate that the issue is not without political disagreement inside Ukraine.
For Rudik, the broader principle is one of solidarity: countries that support Ukraine, she argues, should be recognized as partners whose positions and concerns deserve serious consideration.
Her intervention also sends a political message to Kyiv: Ukraine’s position on Kosovo may be official, but it is not necessarily uncontested within the Ukrainian parliament.
