Scholz, Macron Push Serbia Toward 'Tough Decisions' On Kosovo

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2022) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have urged Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to make "tough decisions" in order to normalize ties with Kosovo.

The two leaders said in a joint letter published on Vucic's website on Sunday that the Serbian president must show "maximum determination and readiness to make tough decisions in order to move the dialogue forward between Kosovo and Serbia."

The European Union has been pushing Serbia, an aspiring member state, to recognize the independence of its breakaway province and align itself with sanctions against Russia.

Several EU nations do not recognize Kosovo for fear it will fuel separatism at home.

Scholz and Macron argued that time was crucial for European security and Western Balkan stability. The Balkan nation must resolve its long-standing territorial dispute with Kosovo to safeguard the region's future in the EU, they said.

The European leaders said they had tasked their foreign and security policy advisers to "explore the opportunities of moving the process forward quickly" by working together with the EU envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.