Moscow opens communication channels with the US on the Balkans? The State Department does not answer if they are talking about Kosovo and other countries

For Kosovo, it would not be the first time that Russia has sought a stake in its fate. From opposing NATO's intervention in 1999, to drawing comparisons to annexed Crimea and blocking international recognition, Moscow has consistently played the role of an opponent of its statehood.

Today, when relations between the US and the EU are tense, this Russian influence risks becoming even more overt.

This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Moscow has opened channels of communication with the United States on developments in the Balkans and is ready to deepen them. He also hinted that the Americans want to get involved as well.

"We have more opportunities to communicate with the US [than with the EU] about the Balkans – especially about Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in the region. Such contacts are continuing. They have not yet brought positive or clear results. But, we are open to these contacts and, as far as I can judge, our American colleagues are also ready to develop them," Lavrov said.

Radio Free Europe asked the US State Department whether the US is discussing with Russia about Kosovo, Bosnia or other Balkan countries, how it coordinates with Europe and how it assesses Moscow's role in the region, but has not received any response since January 20.

The European Union stressed that it could not confirm possible exchanges between third parties.

"The EU is the main political, economic and strategic partner of the Western Balkans and is fully engaged in the region," a spokesperson for the bloc told Radio Free Europe.

The acting government of Kosovo did not comment on Lavrov's statements, but Prime Minister Albin Kurti, at an event in Davos, warned of the indirect threat coming to Kosovo from Russia through Serbia - both states that do not recognize its independence.

"Anyone who helps our northern neighbor in its efforts to destabilize us causes problems for us as well. Our closest threat in this regard is the Russian Federation," Kurti said.

In the Western Balkans, Russia has an active role, mainly through its ties with Serbia and Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while its influence in other countries, such as Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, remains more limited and often indirect.

Through disinformation, pro-Russian media, and energy influence, Moscow aims to slow Euro-Atlantic integration, increase instability in the region, and challenge US and EU interests.

The European Parliament has adopted several resolutions condemning these practices and calling for a coordinated response from the European Union and partner countries.

A report by the Kosovo Center for Security Studies, published in 2024, highlights that “one of Russia’s goals in the Western Balkans is to prevent Serbia from aligning itself with the West. One way to achieve this is to firmly support Serbia’s position on Kosovo and hinder the process of normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia.”

For nearly four years — since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Moscow has faced a wall of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the West.

Recently, some of these obstacles have begun to ease, especially after the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year in Alaska, as well as subsequent talks between officials from both countries to find a way out of the conflict in Ukraine.

Many European leaders, for their part, have taken a tougher stance and shown no signs of easing up on Russia. But transatlantic relations have also been strained by a range of other issues – from the situation in Gaza to American ambitions for Greenland – making the international scene more unpredictable than ever.

"I love Europe and I want to see it do well, but it's not going in the right direction," Trump said at the World Economic Forum, held this week in Davos.

For nearly four years — since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Moscow has faced a wall of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the West.

Recently, some of these obstacles have begun to ease, especially after the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year in Alaska, as well as subsequent talks between officials from both countries to find a way out of the conflict in Ukraine.

Many European leaders, for their part, have taken a tougher stance and shown no signs of easing up on Russia. But transatlantic relations have also been strained by a range of other issues – from the situation in Gaza to American ambitions for Greenland – making the international scene more unpredictable than ever.

"I love Europe and I want to see it do well, but it's not going in the right direction," Trump said at the World Economic Forum, held this week in Davos.

Kupchan believes that US dialogue with Russia on Ukraine is necessary, but warns that in the Balkans, cooperation with Moscow should be avoided, as its interests are "diametrically opposed" to American ones.

"America's main partner in the Balkans is the European Union, not Russia. For this reason, what needs to be seen is much more intensified cooperation and diplomacy between the US and the EU, even though it is difficult right now, given that US-European relations, at this point, are not in a good state," says Kupchan.

He believes that Kosovo is on Trump's radar and that his administration will push Pristina and Belgrade towards progress in negotiations for the normalization of relations, but he estimates that Russia may try to hinder this process, as it "aims to preserve pan-Orthodox unity in the region."

According to him, Kosovo must be prepared for possible Russian attempts "to ignite new unrest."

And, Stradner shares a different opinion – Kosovo is part of a broader geopolitical picture, but it is not Russia's main focus.

"I believe that the situation in Kosovo, in terms of security, is better than it was a few years ago. And the last thing the United States wants right now is an uncontrolled escalation," Stradner says.

However, according to Stradner, Kosovo can never forget that the main bastions of Russian influence are in Serbia and Bosnia. In addition to political ties, Moscow also has leverage in these two countries for pressure and blackmail – from control over energy and gas to economic and media influence – which it uses to maintain its strategic space and influence the region.

“Kosovo needs to develop much closer ties with the European Union and be extremely diplomatic and wise in its approach to the United States,” says Stradner.

The EU, according to Stradner, must also show real leadership in the Western Balkans, where, so far, it has not been that effective.

But, in her words, it is a time when we are all like those “laser-chasing cats” – reacting relentlessly to fast-moving events, with no real control and no clear idea of ​​what comes next. While the light keeps us caught up in its game, the world does not wait. /REL