Is Putin planning the next war in the Balkans through Serbia?

The prestigious German BILD has made an analysis regarding the fragile security and stability situation in the Balkans, where according to it the signals given may be part of "a Russian planning to start a new war in the region", and this "is does through Serbia". Balkan experts, according to BILD, warn that Putin is planning a new war in the Balkans, before the European Parliament elections, and they see this "battlefield" in Kosovo.

"Putin will create a second battlefield in the Balkans before the European elections with the help of the Serbian president", writes BILD. Serbian expert Jakov Devcic, head of the Serbia/Montenegro foreign office of the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said that there are clear pro-Russian currents in the Serbian political landscape and this was also seen in the cooperation agreements signed between Serbia and Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.

 "Clear signal: On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the foreign ministers of Serbia and Russia sign an agreement on future cooperation - six months after Russia's attack on Ukraine. Serbia is still not participating in EU sanctions against Russia. In May 2023: Aleksandar Vulin (former intelligence chief) and Ivica Dacic (foreign minister) represent Serbia at the security conference in Moscow. There are clear pro-Russian currents in the Serbian political landscape. Both former intelligence chief Vulin and Dacic represent pro-Russian positions. "Moscow is aware of how to irritate the West politically," Devcic said.

BILD follows the article where it says that "while Vulin and Dacic are in Moscow, there are serious disturbances between KFOR (NATO) soldiers and Kosovo Serbs in the north of Kosovo. 30 soldiers from the Western alliance were injured. Tensions escalate when 30 heavily armed Serbian paramilitaries attack police officers in northern Kosovo in September 2023. One Kosovar policeman is killed. Vucic deploys troops to the border".

The analysis also highlights the absence of Vučić at the EU-Balkan summit in October 2023, who travels to China and meets with Putin. Earlier this year, Serbia announced the reintroduction of compulsory military service, which BILD's analysis raises the question of whether it is mobilization.

"The situation in the Western Balkans in general is very fragile. Without increasing the Western presence in the north of Kosovo, there will be no peace and security in the Western Balkans", said Devčič./ BILD/