Serbian President asks Putin for advice over intensification of Kosovo conflict
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has asked Russian president Vladimir Putin for advice regarding the intensification of the Kosovo conflict, reported RTS-a (Radio Television of Serbia).
During a telephone call with Putin, Vučić informed the Russian President about the latest developments in Kosovo, including information about the detention of Serbian diplomat Marko Djurić.
"President Vučić requested the opinion and advice of the President of the Russian Federation on how to counter the violence and aggression of Pristina, as it is quite clear that the Albanians have unilaterally declared their independence and that the actions deriving from this have widespread support from numerous Western countries,” said the Serbian President’s press release.
According to the Press Service, Putin told Vučić that he was closely following events in Kosovo and strongly condemns Pristina's actions and violence against the Serbian people.
"President Putin stressed that Serbia is key Russian partner in the Balkans and in Europe, and that Russia will support the Republic of Serbia and its struggle to preserve independence and territorial integrity," the Presidential Press Service quoted Putin as saying.
"Presidents Vučić and Putin agreed that, because of the seriousness of the overall political situation, they will be in constant contact," the report said.
On March 2 a special operation took place to detain Marko Djurić in the city of Mitrovica in Kosovo. Mitrovic is a Kosovo enclave with a majority Serbian population; Djurić is the main Serbian negotiator between Belgrade and Pristina for EU-mediated negotiations between the two parties.
After the capture, which took place using weapons and other special equipment, the diplomat was taken to the capital of Kosovo. The Kosovo police confirmed the diplomat’s detention but reported that they had later returned him to Serbia.
The leadership of Serb List, a Serbian political group in Kosovo, decided to leave the government in Pristina over the arrest of the diplomat. As a result, the government coalition in Kosovo has dissolved.
On March 28, Serbian military aircraft were discovered on the border of unrecognized Kosovo.