The former U.S. president emphasizes his previous interventions in the Balkans and claims current administration policies have exacerbated tensions in Kosovo.
Former U.S. President
Donald Trump has drawn a parallel between the Iranian-Israeli conflict and the situation between Belgrade and Pristina, asserting that during his first term, he prevented a potential war in the region.
Trump's remarks were made on his social media platform Truth, where he criticized current President
Joe Biden's approach to the Balkans, claiming it has jeopardized long-term peace prospects due to several misguided decisions.
Trump stated, 'During my first term, Serbia and Kosovo were clashing fiercely, as they had for decades, with the conflict threatening to escalate into war.
I stopped it.
Biden has damaged long-term prospects with some very foolish decisions, but I will fix it again.'
Dejan Miletić, director of the Center for Globalization Studies, highlighted that Trump's current stance differs significantly from his previous proactive approach to the region.
He noted that, unlike during his first administration, Trump's recent comments indicate a passive position concerning Kosovo and Metohija, particularly amidst reports of increasing violence against Serbs in the region.
Miletić remarked, 'Trump did indeed mitigate the actions of the extremist Albanian leadership during his first term.
However, we see that he is doing nothing now to prevent the terror against Serbs.' He emphasized that while Trump often acts in response to crises, there is currently a lack of a clear U.S. policy towards the Balkans under his second potential presidency.
The director pointed out that Trump has not communicated publicly about Kosovo and Metohija in recent months and raised concerns over the escalating violence in the area.
'When he claims to have stopped the conflict during his first term, he needs to demonstrate how he would act now, especially as the terror increases, and his reactions are nearly non-existent.’
Miletić also suggested that Trump's diplomatic assertions often rely on past successes to underscore his political competence.
He added that recent events contradict claims of stabilization in various global hotspots, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, indicating ongoing turmoil.
As tensions rise in Kosovo, the lack of an active U.S. diplomatic presence has drawn criticism from various analysts and observers, who fear that escalating incidents against the Serbian population could destabilize the region further.