President Zelensky's "controversial statement" during his visit to Belgrade: "Ukraine does not change its position on non-recognition of Kosovo and respects the territorial integrity of Serbia" continues to dominate the media as well as the diplomatic and public debate in Tirana, Pristina, the Balkan countries, the EU, etc. Beyond sensitivity and patriotic revolt, I have analyzed this statement and the positions that followed it with increased responsibility, even though I have chosen not to "join the folkloric tragicomedy" in the face of media interest not only within the country.

But, for no reason would I want this opinion to be taken as a debate with the President who has led his martyred nation to victory in over 1550 days/nights of bloody fighting. That said, in the format of “a retort imposed more with the Comedian than with the President”, I am addressing some strategic objections about the weight as well as geopolitical messages that this statement carries:

* First of all, I strongly emphasize that while Ukraine has only 1 vote (05%) among the 193 UN states, this statement has ZERO weight in the geopolitical reality and future of Kosovo!
However, I find it completely unrealistic, useless and disproportionate, since from every angle you look at it (360 degrees) I do not find and there is NO similarity between, for example, Crimea brutally occupied by Russia in 2014 and Kosovo liberated by the heroic struggle of the Kosovars, as well as the military power of the USA/NATO/UK. Meanwhile, for Crimea, out of 193 countries, except the occupier/Russia, none of the other 192 UN countries has yet recognized it.
Even more clearly, a statement completely out of reality, not to mention comical, since while the International Court of Justice in 2010 confirmed the declaration of independence; Kosovo is a sovereign state recognized by 121 UN countries, including NATO/EU: “except for 4 countries, such as Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Spain, mainly to control extremists in the struggle for power”. Furthermore, I find this statement disproportionate to the nationwide solidarity, the unconditional support of resolutions against Russia in the UNSC, NATO projects and commitments, as well as the more than modest contributions that the Republic of Albania has given to Ukraine, during 4 and a half years of fighting against the criminal machinery of Russia.
And to conclude this column, we should gratefully mention the critical weight of the US for the liberation of Kosovo. Also, the presence at the Bondsteel base, the contribution to increasing recognition of Kosovo (e.g. from Israel, under the auspices of Trump-1), as well as the support to improve the defense capabilities of the Kosovo Security Force (including 246 Javelin missiles = $75 million). Also within 20 months of the Trump-2 Presidency, based on the “foreign policy and national security objectives of the US”, two resolutions have been considered in the Senate for: “Membership in NATO, precisely because of the weight that Kosovo carries to defend supremacy against Russia and China, as well as to develop American geopolitical interests in the region”.
Besides being completely unrealistic, I find this statement controversial with Ukraine's positions and contributions in Kosovo. As an example, we mention that in June 1999, in addition to 50 thousand troops from 30 countries (18 NATO and 12 partners), 1300 Ukrainian soldiers, together with KFOR forces and the Kosovo Armed Forces, were deployed on the ground, in case of a Serbian aggression (incited by Russia) against the territorial integrity of Kosovo, as well as against the presence of the USA/NATO.
Therefore, I find this statement clearly against American interests (which has spent more than $200 billion to militarily support Ukraine), but surprisingly I also find it against the interests of Ukraine itself! This is because respecting Serbia's oscillations towards the territorial borders of Kosovo, at the same time supports Russia's ambitions, agenda and geopolitical interests in the region. Thus, this approach, against the global principles that: "the friend of the enemy (in this case Russia), is at the same time the enemy of Ukraine". To prove this, we recall that Serbia has voted against the sanctions imposed by the USA/UN/EU and the confiscation of Russian assets (over €300 billion); since the beginning of the neo-Nazi war, thousands of Serbian mercenaries (zero from the Republic of Serbia/Kosovo) have been part of the crime machinery against the Ukrainian people. While despite the call of the US/NATO/EU not to participate in the Moscow parade, Mr. Vučić went to the Kremlin: “to celebrate with Putin's army, which kills innocent people in Ukraine every day”! Therefore, I find it naive or nostalgic for the re-return of His brilliance in acting in the comedy “in the service of the people”, which only serves the agenda of radicals in Belgrade, Moscow and beyond.
** Secondly, in the context of the statement, I wanted to bring to attention the genocide of 150 thousand Kosovars, Bosnians, Croats, Slovenes, MV, Montenegrins, barbarically killed by Milosevic's criminal machinery from 1991 to 1999. But, after 26 years, still without even apologizing, according to the well-known English strategist (not Albanian) J. Bugajski: "Serbia remains Russia's strategic ally and blind tool to start a bloody war with the Balkans". Meanwhile, thanks to the unrivaled power and support of the USA: "Serbia, even with the support of Putinist Russia, finds it completely impossible to start a military clash between neighboring countries, 3 of which (R.Sh, MV, Montenegro) are members of NATO, while Kosovo, with the support of the USA, is very close to an invitation to join."
While Serbia is not threatened by anyone, the US/NATO have repeated calls on Belgrade to: "not to waste over €3 billion a year arming itself to the teeth (mainly from Russia, China) with tanks, Mig-29s, helicopters, missiles, including €1.63 billion contracts for latest generation systems and drones from Israel, that is: "not to threaten as a terrorist state the diversion of natural resources between two sovereign states (Kosovo/Serbia), and to unconditionally return to negotiations, mutual trust measures, and the Euro-Atlantic integration agenda"!
To conclude, beyond the patriotic sensitivities and disappointment that this statement carries [including the author who has published (in the region, Washington, Brussels, etc.) dozens of strategic assessments on the stoic confrontation of the Ukrainians], the Republic of Albania will have to continue supporting the projects of the USA/NATO and contributing until the liberation of the territories (-20%) occupied by Russia (including Crimea), as well as the restoration of territorial and state sovereignty throughout Ukraine. (This victory also carries increased interests for the Republic of Albania/Kosovo).
On the other hand: "the political-economic collapse and international discredit that awaits Putinist Russia after the humiliating defeat in the war in Ukraine, etc. remain favorable circumstances (but not gifts) in favor of factoring the Republic of Albania/Kosovo at the tables of major decision-making, as well as to protect and develop geopolitical interests, fortunately intertwined with American ones in the Region, the Mediterranean, etc."!
Beyond this declaration, practically weightless, but considering the bitter lesson from the halving that was imposed on "Natural Albania" by its military powerlessness at the Versailles Conference (1918), I would re-advise publicly and fraternally (with humility, if it would be useful) the factors and actors in Tirana and Pristina: "to bow to their knees before the bloody history and state responsibilities to give life to the Platform 2-Sovereign States, 1-One Nation", confirming in Washington, Brussels, etc., that: "although delayed, this approach does not threaten any country, including Serbia, on the contrary it will contribute as a rational balance to the long-term peace and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the countries of the region". As a starting point, the competition for "absurd independence" (made in Kosovo or made in Albania) should be stopped, and ASAB should start with two joint projects, both exemplary: (1) for Civil Emergencies and procurement for the purchase of firefighting aircraft, as well as (2) the development of the military industry, especially for the production of weapons, ammunition, systems, combat drones, etc.

*Author: General ® Piro Ahmetaj:
Senior Expert on National Security Issues,
Balkans as well as relations with the USA/NATO!