US Ambassador says Serbia should think again about Russia

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP

US Ambassador Christopher Hill told the Voice of America that Serbia should think again if it believes that Russia will help resolve the Kosovo issue.

The ambassador said that he would be very careful about claims that Serbia benefits from what Russia does.

Hill said that Belgrade and Pristina will decided whether to continue their dialogue. He said that Serbia should decide what to do on its own and added that American diplomats should not be telling the Serbians what to do. According to the ambassador, Serbia should decide what kind of relations it wants with its neighbors. I don’t think that Serbia should look to Russia in relation to Kosovo or vice versa but should look at every situation separately, he said, adding that Russia has moved very far away from Western values.

I know that the European Union is trying hard to put different ideas on the table, topics to discuss, keep up the momentum…. The negotiations are very difficult and I know that the EU is doing the best it can. Serbia and Kosovo should bear that in mind, he said. The ambassador said that the issues are not easy and called for understanding but warned that “We should not be held hostage” by them but look forward.