Rama hits back hard at Ukraine critics over Kosovo, analysts express deep reservations

A wave of sharp political debate has erupted following President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement that Ukraine has no intention of recognizing Kosovo’s independence. Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted by attacking those who, according to him, have turned solidarity with Ukraine into a matter of profit and geopolitical calculation.

“My dear friend, Volodymyr Zelensky, stood in Belgrade and declared that Ukraine will never recognize Kosovo. Within an hour, the loudest nationalists in Tirana and Prishtina pulled out the geopolitical calculator: maybe we should punish Ukraine, give up cheering for the free and mourning the bombed. The most reckless accused us of not turning our backs on Ukraine. Some even cheered for Russia!” Rama wrote.

The head of the Albanian government stressed that Kyiv’s stance on Kosovo should not condition support for it, underlining that Albania has a duty to defend the right of Ukrainians to independence and self-defense against Russian aggression.

“Ukraine can be wrong, and is wrong, about Kosovo, but its right to freedom is inalienable, and fighting for this right means fighting for Europe and for ourselves. These truths coexist perfectly well. Albania is mature enough to hold both and will hold both. Therefore, yes: FREE UKRAINE. Today, tomorrow, and forever.”

However, the question arises whether this approach is sufficient in the face of Kosovo’s interests. Should Tirana support Ukraine despite the denial of recognition, or should Albania’s foreign policy also weigh Prishtina’s interests?

Does concern over the non-recognition of Kosovo constitute a natural national reaction, or, as Rama describes it, a manifestation of “folkloric nationalism”? And how diplomatically sustainable is the prime minister’s line when criticism of Kyiv over Kosovo is placed on the same level as pro-Russian stances?

On this topic, commentator Skënder Kapiti and publicist Llesh Ndoj gave their opinions for “Bota sot”.

Kapiti: “As long as Rama is prime minister, Kosovo should not hope for support”

Commentator Skënder Kapiti takes a firm stance against Prime Minister Rama, stressing that Kosovo should not count on sincere support from Tirana during his mandate.

“As long as Edi Rama governs the Albanian government, Kosovo should never expect help, support, or sincerity. Zelensky’s declaration that Ukraine will not recognize Kosovo comes at a moment when Kosovo and Albania, although two states that are weak politically, militarily, and economically, should not take the lead in international events, because no one listens to them.

They should not repeat the mistake of Enver Hoxha, whose regime cursed the West all day, to the point that even Stalin advised him to stop because he did not have the power to shoulder the role of imperialism’s main enemy.

Show me one case in Kosovo where Edi Rama has wanted the good of Kosovo, because he has always held stances against it, in both word and deed. Do not be surprised that Rama stands with Ukraine, because he has historically been closer to Belgrade than to Prishtina. His statements are in sync with Belgrade,” he declared for “Bota sot”.

Further, Kapiti links his stance with Ukrainian-Kosovo relations and other regional developments, also leveling criticism at former president Vjosa Osmani for her decisions regarding Ukraine and the KLA.

“But, on this occasion, I also recall how former President Osmani decorated Ukrainian soldiers, while she did not honor a single KLA fighter from Albania, when it is known that Ukraine militarily supported Macedonia against KLA members. And how is it possible that this former president, with the help of Edi Rama and the coalition with PDK, LDK, and AAK, undertook an unconstitutional decree for an institutional parliamentary coup, pushing Kosovo toward early elections. And she aimed to be re-elected president, but the LDK membership made the right choice, because despite being at the top of the list, they gave her votes that disqualified her as a significant political figure, a position mistakenly given to her by Albin Kurti. And what does Kosovo expect from Rama?”

The commentator also mentions a series of previous assertions and stances by Rama to argue that he has not developed a policy in favor of Kosovo.

“Did he not declare that North Mitrovica is no man’s land; that those who oppose the partition of Kosovo are donkeys; did he not cancel the two government meetings because Kosovo extended state authority over the entire territory; was he not the one who proposed an International Conference for Kosovo and placing the North under NATO authority to protect the Serb minority, aiming to divide Kosovo. To claim that this man loves Kosovo, while cunningly stating that Serbia has lost Kosovo, only Belgrade has said this, because it implies that Kosovo belonged to Serbia, but now it has lost it. So, Rama does not say that Kosovo has won its freedom and its state, that Kosovo is Albanian.”

Kapiti interprets Ukraine’s stance on Kosovo as a diplomatic calculation by Kyiv and questions what benefit Albanians gain from supporting a state that does not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

“If Ukraine will never recognize Kosovo, what interest do Albanians have in defending it? Whoever does not recognize the independent state of Kosovo, those countries’ foreign policy is the same as that of China, Russia, and others.

Diplomacy, after all, is based on calculation, and Ukraine makes this calculation well, thinking it is more advantageous not to recognize Kosovo to please Serbia, which is the main ally of Russia and China in the Balkans. Tirana’s policy has always exercised a disloyal diplomacy toward Kosovo, but Edi Rama always displays this disloyalty openly.”

In conclusion, Kapiti calls on Kosovo to pursue a more cautious and pragmatic policy, warning that Prishtina should not take on obligations that exceed its political and diplomatic capacities.

“Kosovo too should not take upon itself burdens it cannot bear, should not imitate the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, which turned Albania into the world’s only atheist state and placed it in opposition to the democratic world. Kosovo needs a wise, measured, realistic policy, proportional to its own powers, not an emotional and hasty one. You cannot hope for help from a prime minister, half of whose government is in prison for corruption.”

Ndoj: Public reactions in Kosovo and Albania toward Zelensky are acceptable and fully justified

On the other hand, publicist Llesh Ndoj believes that Zelensky’s statements can also be seen in the light of the conflict in Ukraine and Kyiv’s need to secure international allies.

In conversation with “Bota sot”, Ndoj recounts that his initial reaction as an Albanian was negative, but later, considering Ukraine’s dramatic circumstances, he revised his analysis.

“Foreign policy and diplomacy cannot be terrains where folklore operates, nor fields where anyone can plant tomatoes, peppers, roses, or thorn bushes. Consider my following words as such, because the field you want my opinion on is not among those ‘fields’ where I possess competence to cultivate with my modest thoughts.

Nevertheless, I have my opinion, which, modestly and with respect for your request, I am sharing with you.

Like any Albanian, when I heard Zelensky’s expression in Belgrade and his stance on the Kosovo issue, I was indignant and said ‘to hell’ with your politics. But I quickly composed myself and thought: should we take a look at the conditions Ukraine and President Zelensky are in?! Logic led me to think that they are facing an existential threat and are trying to secure weapons and ammunition against Putin’s Russia, in completely unequal numerical, military, and diplomatic conditions. I think Zelensky’s thought goes where it hurts most: to detach whatever he can from a pro-Russian sphere in this exhausting war lasting over four years.”

Ndoj considers the revolt of citizens in Kosovo and Albania understandable but makes a distinction between public reaction and institutional responsibility in international relations.

“Popular reactions in Kosovo and Albania toward Zelensky are acceptable and entirely well-motivated, while governmental policies show obvious deficiencies. Kosovo, as far as I know, due to its state-forming process, has not had a reaction. This, in my opinion, is very harmful. The Albanian government reacted through the relevant Minister and the Prime Minister. It simply fulfilled part of its duty. As an Albanian, the reaction seemed lukewarm to me, but as a statesman who must maintain balance in the turbulent waters of international politics, their reaction seemed correct. Kosovo’s case is incomparable; it could not be and cannot be anyone’s internal issue except the Albanians’, and this was diplomatically sufficient.”

However, Ndoj criticizes some of the expressions used by Rama on the internal national plan, arguing that politics should be more sensitive to issues affecting Albanian identity and unity.

“While on the external diplomatic plane Rama’s language seemed right, on the internal national plane some of his characterizations deserve criticism. For subjective reasons and the faults of the two Albanian leaders in Kosovo and Albania, the forces that should have guaranteed internal pro-Albanian cohesion have long been moving in the opposite direction. However folkloric, those that constitute the backbone of being Albanian must be protected with greater care by politics, here and there. Only Serbia with its hegemonic ideas wants our division.”

The publicist believes that Rama, despite limitations, performs better in foreign policy than in intra-Albanian policy and that support for Ukraine should continue.

“Rama, despite limitations, performs better in foreign policy than in intra-Albanian affairs. He did not support Zelensky, but confirmed continued backing for Ukraine. Why? We must always support countries that are or risk falling prey to others’ nationalist-devouring policies, because this is how we defend ourselves. On the other hand, we must not forget: our support remains merely symbolic. Therefore, I am convinced that in peacetime (I hope it comes for Ukraine too!), Rama would have slammed his opposing stance in Zelensky’s face.

Diplomacy requires cool heads, while weapons are rattling around us, not as a concept, but as a reality,” Llesh Ndoj concluded for “Bota sot”.