Kosovo President Open to Compromise Deal with Serbia, Reports Reuters

By Fatos Bytyci

PRISTINA – Kosovo is open to a compromise agreement with Serbia to address longstanding issues between the two nations, President Hashim Thaci stated in a letter addressed to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Serbia and Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, agreed in 2013 to engage in a European Union-facilitated dialogue aimed at resolving their disputes, but progress has been minimal. The discussions have been stalled since November, following Kosovo’s decision to impose a 100 percent customs tariff on locally-produced goods from Serbia. Serbia responded by refusing to engage in talks unless the trade conditions were normalized.

In his letter dated January 8, Thaci expressed his readiness to make the necessary compromises to achieve a comprehensive and balanced resolution that would address all outstanding issues, ultimately ending the long-standing conflict with Serbia and fostering peace in the region.

The timing of Thaci’s letter is notable, as it comes shortly after he received a communication from Trump urging him to take action towards reaching a deal with Serbia, two decades after the cessation of hostilities.

Thaci had previously mentioned seeking a resolution with Serbia by "correcting borders," a statement that led politicians and analysts in Kosovo to speculate about potential land swaps. This idea raised concerns among Balkan neighbors and Western nations, who viewed it as a potential attempt to exchange Serbian municipalities with predominantly ethnic Albanian populations, who represent over 90 percent of Kosovo’s demographic.

In the proposed land swap scenario, Serbia would acquire portions of northern Kosovo that are mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs who do not recognize the authority of the Pristina government.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has indicated that his administration will not reverse its decision on tariffs.

The United States remains Kosovo’s principal political and financial supporter. Notably, it was under U.S. leadership that NATO intervened with airstrikes on Serbian forces in 1999 to stop the killings and the expulsion of Kosovo Albanians during a counter-insurgency operation.

Kosovo is recognized by approximately 110 countries, but is not acknowledged by Serbia, Russia, and five EU member states.