Kiev to Lose Belgrade’s Trust if it Recognizes Kosovo’s Independence — Serbian President

"I am sure that Zelensky will not throw away this trump card," Aleksandar Vucic noted

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader

© AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader

BELGRADE, August 8. /TASS/. Kiev will throw away everything it has built with Serbia if it recognizes Kosovo’s independence, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday.

"We consider Ukraine to be our friend. We have never had any conflicts or problems with Ukraine and I hope we will never have any," he told a news conference when asked about Kiev’s possible recognition of Kosovo’s independence. "Just imagine that Ukraine recognizes Kosovo. It will lose everything it used to have in no time - political trust, it will lose everything."

"And in this case, how will he (Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky - TASS) be able to say that he respects international law? No way," he stressed. "I am sure that Zelensky will not throw away this trump card."

Serbia’s Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija unilaterally proclaimed independence in February 2008 and is seeking to join a number of international organizations, including UNESCO and Interpol. However, more than 60 countries, including Russia, China, India, and five European Union member states are categorically against recognizing Kosovo’s independence.