Serbia's Vucic Believes Kiev Will Make More Counteroffensive Attempts Before NATO Summit

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd July, 2023) Ukraine will try to step up its counteroffensive before NATO's July summit in the hope of achieving results and receiving an invitation to join the bloc, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday, adding that he also expects a new wave of escalation in northern Kosovo.

"Now I am expecting a big offensive by Ukraine in two directions - one in Bakhmut and the other, larger, in Enerhodar and Melitopol. I think that they have prepared several dozen brigades and will break through the Russian defenses in that part. I do not root for anyone, but I think that this will happen, of course, with a huge number of casualties," Vucic told Serbian broadcaster Prva.

Kiev believes that the successful counteroffensive will change the course of hostilities and Ukraine will receive a "ticket" for membership in NATO, Vucic added.

Vucic also expressed the fear that when a new Ukrainian counteroffensive begins, Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti will launch a new round of persecution of Kosovo Serbs in northern Kosovo.

Ukraine applied for accelerated NATO membership in September 2022 following the start of the Russian military operation in February of that year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has on numerous occasions said that the 31-nation alliance was supportive of Kiev's aspirations but was not ready to approve its application right away, chiefly due to Ukraine's active involvement in an armed conflict.

Serbia has still not recognized the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo, its former province. A large ethnic Serb community is still residing in Kosovo's north, often bearing the brunt of diplomatic tensions between Belgrade and Pristina and protesting what they consider discriminatory Kosovar policies.