The European Union has stressed that support for clarifying the fate of missing persons remains a particularly important part of the dialogue conducted under its mediation.

On July 28, forensic specialists from EULEX’s Forensic Medicine Team assisted their counterparts from the Kosovo Institute of Forensic Medicine in assessing a site in Zubin Potok. The aim was to determine whether an unmarked grave containing missing persons might be located there, a European Commission spokesperson confirmed.

The European Commission spokesperson clarified that EULEX does not conduct criminal investigations of any kind, as responsibility for them lies with the Kosovo authorities.

According to him, the Joint Commission on Missing Persons was established within the framework of the dialogue, based on the 2023 Declaration on Missing Persons. The commission is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the declaration, contributing to clarifying the fate of those who remain missing, and providing families and relatives with answers about their loved ones.

He reiterated that support for shedding light on the fate of those still considered missing from the conflict remains one of the most important elements of the European Union-facilitated dialogue.

The EU also announced that, in support of these efforts, it has provided funding to the Kosovo Institute of Forensic Medicine.

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Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Gjuriq announced the development, describing it as a historic moment.

“What will happen on Friday is truly a historic diplomatic and, I would say, political moment in relations between Serbia and the United States,” Gjuriq told Radio Television of Serbia on July 14.

According to him, the decision is expected to “strengthen” Serbia’s international standing and its economic situation.

Gjuriq also assessed that, through this process, Serbia is entering “the circle of countries with which the United States has the highest level of institutional cooperation.”

The US State Department has said that the US-Serbia Strategic Dialogue “represents a new era in relations between the two countries.”

According to the State Department, the dialogue “is an indicator of both countries’ commitment to expanding and deepening our partnership.”

“Through this dialogue, the United States and Serbia will work to achieve shared objectives, including regional peace and stability, expanding ties in business and education, and building a more prosperous future,” the State Department said in a response sent to Radio Free Europe.

The response also noted that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on August 6 last year that the United States would launch this dialogue with Serbia.

Publicist Emin Azemi considers this process a pragmatic and technocratic shift in Washington’s official approach toward the Western Balkans.

According to Azemi, President Trump’s administration, through Secretary Rubio, is primarily seeking to halt China’s technological and economic expansion in Serbia.

“The official launch of the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and Serbia on July 17, 2026, marks an important institutional turning point in the region, described by the US State Department as a ‘new era’ in bilateral relations.

This step represents a pragmatic and technocratic shift in Washington’s official approach toward the Western Balkans, moving away from the former policy of ‘state-building and reconstruction’ toward the creation of sustainable partnerships based on measurable economic and security interests.

The main strategy of President Donald Trump’s administration, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is to curb China’s technological and economic expansion in Serbia, which serves as a bridge for Chinese investments toward the EU, as well as to reduce Belgrade’s energy dependence on Russia,” Azemi told Bota Sot.

He highlights four strategic pillars on which, according to him, this dialogue is based and which demonstrate that it is not merely a declarative initiative.

“The dialogue is not merely declarative; it is based on four strategic pillars: energy and infrastructure, such as the Djerdap 3 hydropower project; artificial intelligence and advanced technology; defense cooperation; and liquefied natural gas projects. Serbia has even signed agreements with NASA for the Artemis space program.

This institutionalisation shows that the United States is treating Serbia as a key partner for regional stability, offering it Western alternatives to Eastern influence,” the publicist said.

Azemi says the new partnership gives Belgrade greater room for manoeuvre.

According to him, Serbian representatives have not concealed their intention to use their new position to strengthen their arguments concerning Kosovo.

“This new partnership creates a significant diplomatic challenge for Kosovo, as it expands Belgrade’s room for manoeuvre in Washington. While Belgrade formalises this high-level framework of cooperation, Kosovo’s planned Strategic Dialogue with the United States was suspended some time ago by Washington due to dissatisfaction with unilateral actions by the Kosovar government that increased tensions in the north. This asymmetry may translate into less direct US pressure on Serbia and greater pressure on Pristina in negotiation processes.

Serbian officials, such as Minister Marko Gjuriq, have not concealed the fact that they will use this new position to strengthen their arguments regarding the Kosovo issue in US institutions,” Azemi stressed.

In conclusion, he assesses that there is a possibility Kosovo could be sidelined in major regional economic and infrastructure projects, but adds that the partnership does not imply acceptance of Serbia’s territorial claims toward Kosovo.

“There is a real risk that Kosovo could be bypassed in major regional economic and infrastructure projects, but not in terms of geopolitical security. In this context, the regional peace sought by the State Department implies a region in which Serbia is not aligned with Russia, but this partnership does not mean acceptance of Serbia’s territorial claims toward Kosovo. Nevertheless, this requires Kosovo to urgently review its strategy for coordination with its main ally, the United States, so as not to fall behind regional developments,” the publicist concluded.

The United States has said it expects the conditions to be created for launching a Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo, stressing that these include Pristina fulfilling its commitments toward the Serbian minority.

In a response to Radio Free Europe, a spokesperson for the US State Department recalled that the Strategic Dialogue had been suspended in September 2025 “for an indefinite period” due to concerns over the actions of Kosovo’s caretaker government.

“We remain committed to advancing the shared interests of the United States and the people of Kosovo. We look forward to developing a Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo when the appropriate conditions are in place, including Kosovo’s fulfillment of its commitments regarding Kosovo Serbs,” the response said.

The State Department did not provide a timeline for the possible launch of the Strategic Dialogue, nor did it detail the other steps it expects from Kosovo’s institutions.

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In a statement to Radio Free Europe, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that the United States remains committed to advancing shared interests with the people of Kosovo.

“We remain committed to advancing the shared interests of the United States and the people of Kosovo. We look forward to developing a Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo when the appropriate conditions are in place, including Kosovo fulfilling its commitments to Kosovo Serbs,” the response said.

The State Department did not specify a possible date for the start of the process, nor did it provide further details on the measures it expects Kosovo’s institutions to take.

The Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo was suspended in September 2025 “for an indefinite period” because of U.S. concerns over the actions of Kosovo’s caretaker government, the U.S. spokesperson recalled.

The response was issued on the same day that Washington opens the first round of its Strategic Dialogue with Serbia. The mechanism is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in security, the economy and foreign policy.

“Through this dialogue, the United States and Serbia will work to achieve shared objectives, including regional peace and stability, expanding ties in business and education, and building a more prosperous future,” the State Department spokesperson told Radio Free Europe.

When and why was the Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo suspended?

On September 12, 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Pristina announced that the United States had decided to halt the Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo for an indefinite period.

The embassy said at the time that the decision was linked to “concerns regarding the actions of the caretaker government,” which it said “have increased tensions and instability.” According to the embassy, these developments limited the United States’ ability to cooperate productively with Kosovo on shared priorities.

The decision was made after steps taken by Kosovo authorities against Serbian institutions operating in Kosovo.

The authorities had also publicly criticized Kosovo’s Constitutional Court over a ruling concerning the mandate of members of parliament.

For Washington, these issues contributed to rising political tensions and made cooperation more difficult. The caretaker government, meanwhile, defended its actions, describing them as “legal and constitutional.”

What is expected of Kosovo regarding Serbs?

For years, the United States and the European Union have called on Kosovo to implement agreements reached in the EU-mediated dialogue with Serbia.

The main requests include establishing the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities and guaranteeing a degree of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo, in line with the 2023 Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Annex.

The West also seeks a resolution of disputes with the Serbian Orthodox Church, the protection of religious freedoms, and the avoidance of unilateral steps in northern Kosovo. According to Washington, such actions have heightened tensions with the Serbian community.

Pristina maintains that obligations arising from the dialogue should be implemented reciprocally. Kosovo says its measures in the north, from removing the Serbian dinar from circulation to closing most Serbian parallel institutions, were undertaken to extend the rule of law. / RFE

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In a post on platform X, Terras recalled the Serbian minister’s words: “If I had been in Milošević’s place in 1998, I would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo.”

“This seriously undermines trust in the EU-facilitated dialogue,” wrote the European Parliament’s rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras.

The statement by Snezhana Paunović has also been formally conveyed to the European Union by Kosovo’s chief negotiator, Agron Bajrami.

According to him, the statement constitutes a violation of the 2023 Brussels Agreement and seriously undermines the dialogue, trust and the normalisation process between Kosovo and Serbia.

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In its written response to RFE, the EU emphasized that it has continuously asked Serbia to promote this process, and Kosovo to enable the return to justice institutions of Serbian members of that system, in accordance with the dialogue agreements and Kosovo’s legislation.

The EU spokesperson also said that both parties must create the necessary conditions to fulfill these obligations, and avoid actions that could further complicate the process.

At the end of November 2022, representatives of the Serbian community collectively withdrew from Kosovo’s institutions. This action came in opposition to the Kosovo Government’s decision to phase out the use of vehicle license plates issued by Serbia and replace them with Kosovo plates.

In addition to police officials and local administration staff, around 130 judges, prosecutors, and judicial administrative employees resigned in the four northern Serb-majority municipalities: North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan, and Zubin Potok.

The issue of these resignations, still unresolved, was raised again in mid-June. Kosovo’s acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, asked the Kosovo Judicial Council and the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council to complete the relevant procedures “without delays,” arguing that their prolongation is affecting the proper functioning of the justice system.

The Kosovo Judicial Council told Radio Free Europe that it had received the letter on June 19 and that the topic will be addressed in one of the upcoming meetings, according to constitutional and legal competencies.

On the other hand, the Prosecutorial Council did not respond to Radio Free Europe’s request for comment.

The mass withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions was an initiative of the Serbian List and was supported by the authorities in Belgrade.

After the resignations, the employees in question received temporary contracts and continued to receive salaries from Serbia’s budget.

However, over time, some of them who did not support the Serbian List lost this income, while the opportunity to return to their previous jobs was also lost.

After a series of crises in northern Kosovo, which peaked with the armed attack against the Kosovo Police in Banjska in 2023, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić requested the return of Serbs to the Kosovo Police and justice institutions.

Even the Serbian List, before last year’s local elections, admitted that the decision to withdraw from Kosovo’s institutions had been a mistake.

Kosovo authorities, led by Albin Kurti, have assessed that the return of Serbs to Kosovo’s institutions should not be treated politically, but as a legal and constitutional matter. / RFE

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However, it remains unclear whether the energy issue constitutes a prerequisite for the start of a similar strategic dialogue with Kosovo.

Analyst Sadri Ramabaja, speaking to “Bota sot”, stresses that this dialogue does not diminish the importance of the American alliance with Kosovo, but signals that Serbia is drawing more diplomatic attention due to its geopolitical position in the region.

Ramabaja explains that the announcement of the US-Serbia Strategic Dialogue carries considerable diplomatic weight, but should not be read as a shift of American support from Kosovo towards Belgrade. Nevertheless, it contains messages that Prishtina cannot ignore.

He clarifies that Serbia gaining diplomatic ground does not necessarily mean it is surpassing Kosovo in terms of strategic alliance. Despite these moves, Kosovo continues to be one of the United States’ closest partners in the Balkans, evidenced by the presence of KFOR with a US-led component, intensive cooperation in the security sector, historical support for independence, and investments in security institutions.

According to him, what is happening is that Belgrade is securing a broader operating space in Washington. This does not make Serbia a closer ally than Kosovo, but shows the US effort to engage it at a higher level due to its regional importance and geopolitical positioning.

Ramabaja explains that the US is undertaking this strategic dialogue with Serbia to steer it more firmly toward Western policies and to curb Russian and Chinese influence, while it already sees Kosovo as a close partner. He lists several reasons for this approach: first, Serbia is the largest state in the Western Balkans and exerts influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Second, the US administration aims to reduce the influence of Moscow and Beijing in Belgrade by creating regular communication mechanisms on energy, economy, security, and regional policy. Third, the US traditionally conducts strategic dialogues with states it wishes to bring closer to its own policies.

A paradox that stands out, according to the analyst, is that precisely because Serbia is not considered a full ally, Washington spends more diplomatic energy trying to draw it in. On the other hand, Kosovo is perceived as a very close partner, and most cooperation passes through existing security and diplomatic channels.

Ramabaja further points out that the lack of a strategic dialogue with the US could turn into a handicap for Kosovo, as Serbia gains more attention and institutionalized coordination in Washington. In diplomacy, he emphasizes, it is not only the quality of relations that matters, but also the institutional level at which they are cultivated. A Strategic Dialogue usually involves regular ministerial meetings, sectoral working groups, long-term coordination, and joint planning.

If Belgrade secures this platform, while Prishtina does not, the perception is created that Serbia is receiving more institutional attention in the American capital. However, this does not change the reality that Kosovo remains an important partner of the US, but it falls to Prishtina to engage more diplomatically.

Ramabaja interprets this as a signal that relations with the US cannot rely forever on the historical legacy of 1999. He notes that American foreign policy, particularly towards European states and within the transatlantic NATO alliance, has undergone a complete overhaul, especially after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Despite this, the Western Balkans, just like the Baltics, remains a neuralgic point and an area of UK strategic interest.

Therefore, the strategic partnership needs to be continuously renewed. Prishtina, he suggests, could aim to elevate relations to the level of a Strategic Dialogue, a joint agenda on defense and the military industry, cooperation in energy, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy, as well as closer coordination on regional policy.

So far, there is no official indication that the energy issue constitutes a condition or motive for the start of a US-Kosovo Strategic Dialogue. Unlike Serbia, Kosovo is not energy-dependent on Russia, so a future dialogue of this kind would be more likely to focus on security, defense, economic development, technological transformation, and Euro-Atlantic integration, rather than on energy security.

In conclusion, Ramabaja underlines that the US-Serbia Strategic Dialogue does not constitute a replacement of Kosovo, but demonstrates the necessity for Prishtina to strengthen its partnership with Washington through a new strategic agenda. The message, according to him, is multifaceted: the US does not intend to leave Serbia outside the Western orbit; Washington is investing in regional stability by engaging even with actors that are not formal allies; Serbia is benefiting from a new communication channel with the American administration; and Kosovo should not take American support for granted, but must nourish it with new political and strategic initiatives.

He adds that these developments in the Washington-Belgrade relationship must be understood correctly and outside the propaganda campaigns based on daily agendas of opposition forces. The Strategic Dialogue does not mean that Serbia is replacing Kosovo as a US partner in the Balkans, but shows that Washington is institutionalizing relations with Belgrade at a higher level. For Kosovo, this serves as a reminder that the historical partnership must be complemented by a new strategic agenda that would deepen cooperation in security, energy, technology, investments, and long-term political coordination. If Prishtina and Tirana aim to maintain their weight in American policy for the Balkans, it would be reasonable for Kosovo to work towards establishing an institutionalized strategic dialogue with the United States as well.

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Speaking about security in the north compared with the period before the aggression in Banjska and the current situation, Barbano underlines that the commitments of the Government of Kosovo within the framework of the dialogue have helped prevent incidents.

“Today the situation is undoubtedly calm, but still fragile. Fragile because of the existence of potential factors that could cause tensions. It is encouraging that most of these factors are being discussed in advance with the local authorities, whether within the framework of the dialogue or in the context of developments after the attack in Banjska. This helps prevent possible tensions from a security perspective. However, there are still some issues that remain under our observation and review and require solutions. What I expect and want is for every action to be discussed with the international community, especially with EULEX, in order to avoid unilateral actions that could undermine the rights of individuals,” Barbano told KosovaPress.

According to him, recent developments and the executive’s involvement in the dialogue process, especially regarding the north, have had an effect in avoiding problematic incidents.

“I must say that recent developments and the government’s engagement within the framework of the dialogue, particularly in the north, have proved very useful and effective in preventing incidents. However, from time to time there are still actions that are not sufficiently coordinated at the local level and that continue to draw our attention and concern,” he stresses.

Barbano further says that the police in the north are trying to gain the trust of residents through various initiatives and activities carried out in cooperation with NGOs, civil society and the community. However, he adds that there are continually individuals or groups that could undermine peace and security.

He also expresses concern over the constant discovery of weapons, not only in the north but across the entire territory of Kosovo. According to him, this shows that weapons remain relatively easy to obtain.

“One aspect that continues to concern us is the ongoing discovery of weapons, not only in the north but throughout Kosovo. This shows that weapons and offensive means continue to be available and relatively easy to obtain. Therefore, this requires great attention from both the police and the prosecution, as well as the launch of campaigns for the voluntary surrender of weapons with the aim of demilitarizing these areas,” he says in his latest interview as head of the EULEX Mission.

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At these meetings, Lacroix was accompanied by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Peter Due.

According to a UNMIK statement, the discussions recognized Kosovo’s continued efforts and the progress achieved, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of continuing dialogue and cooperation.

In this context, the senior UN official also reaffirmed support for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

“During the discussions, Kosovo’s continued efforts and the progress achieved were appreciated, while also emphasizing the importance of continuing dialogue and cooperation. Lacroix reaffirmed support for the EU-facilitated Dialogue and underscored UNMIK’s continued commitment to strengthening the rule of law, promoting human rights, and supporting trust-building among communities,” the statement said.

The UN Under-Secretary-General also met with representatives of the diplomatic community and international organizations.

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