During a panel discussion at the Hudson Institute in Washington D.C., President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani delivered a scathing critique of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, calling him “a disaster for the Serbian people, the region, and for all our allies who are forced to deal with his ongoing destabilizing tactics.”
Referring to Vučić’s political background, Osmani said,
“When you look at Vucic he was the last propaganda minister. That’s just the truth. He talks like a duck and walks like a duck he still believes in the same way of thinking. He is a disaster. A disaster for the people of Serbia, for the country he leads, for the region, and for our allies who have to focus on his destabilizing tactics instead of regional cooperation or youth development. Instead of peace and prosperity, he promotes instability and war. He talks about ‘Greater Serbia’ and the ‘Serbian World’. It’s a copy of Putin’s playbook.”
She continued by linking Vucic’s regional ambitions with imperialist ideologies:
“He sees neighboring countries as temporary states – the same logic that’s existed in Russia since the time of Catherine the Great: conquer, conquer, conquer, and maybe something will stick. That’s the logic he operates under.”
Osmani also pointed to Vučić’s use of propaganda and his shift away from Western values over more than a decade in power:
“In 12–13 years, he’s dragged Serbia from 96% alignment with the EU down to just 40%. No sanctions against Russia, none against Iran, no alignment with Western values. He hasn’t just been sitting on two chairs — he’s made his choice.”
She criticized those in the West who still believe Vučić will eventually change course:
“Those still trying appeasement are wasting time. They’ve tried for over a decade — and the result is this: 83% of Serbians, due to media captured by Vučić, believe Ukraine started the war. 83% trust Putin. They don’t trust the West or American leadership. This is not just a generational issue in terms of age — it’s a generational mindset. Vučić belongs to that mindset. He worked with Milošević. He made propaganda for the genocide in Srebrenica.”
According to Osmani, Vučić has never truly distanced himself from Milošević — neither in ideology nor in political behavior.
