US Senator Chuck Grassley has strongly condemned Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska (RS), for his recent visit to Russia, likening his actions to those of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who also sought refuge in Moscow.
Grassley, a senior Republican, criticized Dodik’s separatist policies, warning that they threaten the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and echo the violent conflicts of the 1990s.
Dodik met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where he reiterated his opposition to international institutions in BiH, including the Office of the High Representative (OHR).
While Dodik denied seeking Russian citizenship, he faces mounting legal troubles in BiH. He has been sentenced to one year in prison and barred from politics for six years, though the verdict is not yet final. Additionally, BiH authorities have launched an investigation against him and other RS officials for threatening the country’s constitutional order.
The US, EU, and UK have condemned Dodik’s actions, warning that his policies endanger peace in BiH. Meanwhile, opposition figures in RS accuse him of jeopardizing the entire entity in an attempt to shield himself from prosecution.
