Although the Balkans, in the eyes of President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton, is more stable than it was 35 years ago, he says there is reason to worry about the outbreak of a conflict, also based on the context of historical events.
“There is reason to be concerned, we know all the historical events and the Balkans are more stable than they were 35 years ago when the former Yugoslavia and the former Soviet Union collapsed, but many issues are pending and unclear and I think you have to look at the Russian efforts in Romania to affect elections and politics in the Region which is really something dangerous,” Bolton stated on A2 CNN.
Regarding Washington’s interest in the Balkans, Bolton emphasizes that it should pay more attention, also due to Russian influence.
“I think the US should pay more attention to the Balkan peninsula despite our friends in Western Europe where we left some issues in their hands. In the Balkans we have not seen much progress due to historical factors and Russian efforts to have its own influence both in the space of the former Soviet Republic and Eastern and Central Europe. I think the Balkans will emerge as an important stage towards the representatives of the governments in the Balkans will be in the interest of the US.”
“There will be no solution until the parties reach a point where they understand that it is not in their interest to continue the conflict.” This was the response given by the former security advisor to US President Donald Trump regarding the disagreements on the issue of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
He said that the resolution of the conflict cannot be forced from outside if the parties do not want it, while bringing to attention the case of Macedonia.
“We had the security advisor and to have the possibility of an agreement, but everything is on the table now and it will not be easy, but we know that even conflicts that seem irreconcilable, even in issues that are difficult for someone from the outside to understand, for example, in the case of Macedonia, by insisting, we found a solution and I don’t see why this can’t work for Kosovo and Serbia.”
