Kosovo, Bosnia call for NATO membership as war inflames in Ukraine

As Russia’s influence expands in the Western Balkans and a conflict rages in Ukraine, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s authorities have stated that joining NATO will help to maintain regional stability.

Fears have been growing that the situation will expand to the Western Balkans since President Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, citing Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s possible NATO membership as a major issue.

Despite the 2,400km (1,500 mile) distance between them, Moscow has challenged Sarajevo’s NATO request, as it has Kyiv’s.

Last year, the Russian embassy in Sarajevo warned that if Bosnia takes moves toward membership, Russia “would have to react to this aggressive conduct.”

In a recent interview with Bosnian TV, Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Kalabukhov reaffirmed this message, using Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as an example.

“They are particularly interested in assaulting Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, [NATO member] Montenegro,” Osmani said.

Serbia, which is considered as a Russian stooge, may side with Moscow because it is “emboldened by what is going on in Europe right now,” she said.

“Russia’s influence in Serbia is not waning; in fact, it has been increasing over the years.”

Kosovo requested rapid NATO membership and a permanent US military installation on its territory three days after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Since then, Osmani has encouraged US President Joe Biden to utilise Washington’s clout to assist the country in joining.

However, four NATO countries — Spain, Slovakia, Greece, and Romania – have yet to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence from Serbia in 2008, complicating the country’s bid.

According to Osmani, Kosovo’s first goal is to join institutions like the Partnership for Peace, a NATO programme that encourages non-member countries to cooperate.

“We’re already talking to [NATO] members to make sure everyone understands how membership is becoming increasingly important, particularly in light of the events in Ukraine,” Osmani added, emphasising the importance of political discourse.