Vucic: Ukraine would lose all trump cards by recognising so-called Kosovo

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday evening he believed Ukraine would not recognise the so-called Kosovo as, by doing so, it would lose all political credibility and "all trump cards it has in its hands" in a day.

Vucic said this in response to a reporter's question about recent comments that Ukraine will recognise the so-called Kosovo.

Vucic said Ukraine was a friendly country and that Serbia had never had any problems with it.

"I think, and I am convinced, that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is much wiser and more intelligent than the head of the foreign affairs committee of the Ukrainian parliament (Oleksandr Merezhko). Imagine if Ukraine were to recognise Kosovo as independent - it would lose all it has in its hands in a day. Today, it can say it is adhering to international law and the UN Charter, but how would it be able to say so after that? I am convinced Zelenskyy will not drop that trump card," Vucic said.

He said he believed all European countries that did not recognise the so-called Kosovo - including five EU member states and Serbia itself - were under pressure because the West wanted "to close that issue as soon as possible."

"That is their job, they have been trying to do that for 15 years. They were doing well from 2008 to 2012 and a little less well after that because they have more derecognitions than they have recognitions," Vucic said, noting that the struggle was not easy for Serbia.

"We are still fighting," he said.