President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, has called on the European Union to exert a positive influence in the Western Balkans, warning against leaving a vacuum that could be exploited by what she terms the “Triangle of Evil”—Russia, China, and India.
Osmani described Serbia as an aggressor in the region, stating that it must be treated as such by the international community, particularly by Western powers.
“Currently, there are two security threats against countries in our continent: one comes clearly from Russia, the other from the ‘tool’ of Russia in our region, which is Serbia. Consistency from the EU is necessary, because you cannot treat one as a dictator and aggressor, and the other as a partner for peace,” Osmani said.
When asked whether Serbia or Russia poses the greater problem, she emphasized that it is a combination of both:
“Serbia has treated its neighbors as non-existent or temporary states, acting aggressively. This is copied from the Russian playbook. Russia, in turn, supports Serbia’s actions. Both invoke a vision of expansion—‘Greater Russia’ and ‘Greater Serbia’—using similar methods. Both are threats. If there is no positive Western influence, forces from the ‘Triangle of Evil’—Russia, China, and India—will always penetrate the region for strategic, not benevolent, purposes.”
Osmani concluded by urging the EU enlargement process to continue for Western Balkan countries that meet the criteria, emphasizing adherence to EU standards and values as a way to counter malign influence in the region.
