Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has accused Turkey of violating international laws and destabilizing the Western Balkans by supplying weapons to Kosovo.
“I am horrified by Turkey’s behavior and the brutal violation of the U.N. Charter and U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, as well as the continued arming of the Pristina authorities,” Vučić said in a social media post Wednesday, referring to the capital of Kosovo.
“It is now completely clear that Turkey does not want stability in the Western Balkans and is once again dreaming of restoring the Ottoman Empire. Serbia is a small country, but we have clearly understood the message!” he added.
While a 1998 U.N. Security Council resolution does proscribe the sale or supply of weapons to Kosovo, an agreement from the following year, U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, states that this prohibition “shall not apply to arms and related matériel for the use of the international civil and security presences.”
Belgrade and Ankara have maintained complex relations, balancing economic cooperation with deep historical and political tensions. Turkey remains one of Kosovo’s strongest allies and was among the first countries to recognize its 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia.
Vučić’s comments follow earlier accusations against Albania and Croatia of fueling an “arms race” in the region following the signing of a joint declaration on defense cooperation with Kosovo in March.
The latest accusations come amid heightened tensions in northern Kosovo, where sporadic clashes between Serb communities and Kosovo’s security forces in recent years have reignited concerns over regional security.
Ankara has not yet officially responded to Vučić’s remarks, but Turkish officials have previously defended their military cooperation with Pristina as part of efforts to strengthen regional defense capacities.
In January 2024, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and his Kosovar counterpart Ejup Maqedonci signed a military framework agreement in Ankara, expanding cooperation on arms sales, joint exercises and training programs.
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