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For Kosovo's Future, 'No Alternative' to Normalizing Relations between Belgrade, Pristina, Deputy Special Representative Says in Security Council Briefing

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

10019th Meeting (AM)

SC/16196
21 October 2025

Warning of political deadlock and growing tensions, the top United Nations official in Kosovo stressed need for Belgrade and Pristina to "avoid measures that might erode trust", as he briefed the Security Council via video link on the Secretary-General's latest report on developments in the area.

Milbert Dongjoon Shin, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), said there is no alternative to the normalization of relations and accountability for past violence.

Praise for Kosovo Polls, yet Concern over Closure of Serbia-run Institutions

Mr. Shin welcomed that the 12 October local Kosovo elections were conducted in a "peaceful and inclusive atmosphere", with the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel and the Supreme Court reinforcing "the legal guarantees of inclusiveness and electoral integrity". The "smooth and timely formation" of local governments remains essential, as "municipal governments are the closest link to communities" and play a critical role in translating people's voices into actions.

At the central level, Kosovo continues to face political deadlock, he warned. Since the February legislative elections, divisions between political parties had prevented the constitution of the Assembly of Kosovo and the formation of a government. Although the Assembly was declared constituted on 10 October with the election of a Kosovo Serb Deputy President, "ten Assembly members, including the nine members from Srpska Lista, contested this election before the Constitutional Court". Pending the Court's ruling, it is vital to uphold "respect for the independence of the judiciary", he stressed.

On dialogue and regional cooperation, he welcomed the June and September meetings between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels. In addition, clarifying the fate of the missing "remains a noble and essential humanitarian endeavour" and indispensable for reconciliation and healing.

In northern Kosovo, he warned that authorities have allowed many residents with Serbia-issued documents to "regularize their status in the Kosovo system", but the full enforcement of the Law on Foreigners and Law on Vehicles on 1 November "could introduce administrative challenges affecting access to essential rights and services". Concerns also persist over the closures of Serbia-run institutions, which could impact "access to health, education and culture", he said.

Serbia Denounces 'Slow Motion Ethnic Cleansing'

Marko Đurić, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia, said that while today's report represents a meaningful step towards more "balanced ground-truth reporting" on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, it cannot fully capture the gravity of the horror that continues to unfold daily. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's regime has shuttered 128 key public institutions that provide essential public services, including healthcare and social protection in Serb-majority areas.

Detailing attacks targeting the Serbian community, he said Serbian children bear the primary brunt of the violence. Prime Minister Kurti is enforcing a policy of "slow motion ethnic cleansing" by forcing Serbs to abandon their homes and holy sites, reversing gains made during United States President Donald J Trump's first term.

Expressing concern about the attacks on Serbian holy sites and property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, he highlighted the determination of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija to preserve their identity. In the 12 October local elections, the Serbian List won a majority in 9 out of 10 municipalities with a Serb majority population. "This isn't mere politics, it is defiance," he underscored. Twelve years after the signing of the Brussels Agreement, it is time for Pristina to fulfill its binding obligation to form the community of Serb municipalities. Instead, Prime Minister Kurti sabotages dialogue and provokes new tensions in the Balkans. "This reckless behavior is compounded by the ongoing militarization," he said, pointing to the delivery of lethal drone systems to the so-called Kosovo Security Force.

In the ensuing discussion, regional countries welcomed Kosovo's moves towards integrating into the European Union, welcomed the positive election developments and proposed a review of UNMIK's mandate to make it more relevant to today's needs.

Support for a European Future

The United Kingdom's delegate said that London remains a "steadfast supporter of Kosovo's democratic development and Euro-Atlantic path" while France's delegate said there is "no possible alternative", for Serbia or Kosovo, to the normalization of relations, which is key to their integration into the European Union. Both the United Kingdom and France welcomed the holding of elections, with the former commending the "smooth conduct of the recent municipal elections". They also stressed that the status of administrative structures must be resolved.

Slovenia's speaker commended UNMIK and various European Union-led structures that divided responsibilities following Kosovo's establishment, noting that the international community had learned many lessons in the last 26 years. "We believe it may soon be the right moment for a thoughtful and realistic discussion — perhaps a strategic review — on the future of UNMIK's engagement", he added. Denmark's speaker said that her delegation is ready to discuss a possible strategic review of the mission, as its mandate is from 1999. "The future of Serbia and Kosovo lies within the [European Union]," declared Greece's representative.

Other speakers echoed similar points while also underscoring various initiatives they believe would bring lasting peace to the region. Like many other delegations, Panama's delegate welcomed recent municipal elections held in Kosovo, adding that the fact that most municipalities are now heading to a run-off demonstrates the diversity and vitality within the country. Also commending the successful holding of elections, Pakistan's representative called for the full implementation of the 2013 Brussels Agreement and the 2023 Ohrid Agreement. The 2023 Belgrade-Pristina Agreement was "a positive step", added the representative of the Republic of Korea. With dialogue and a steadfast commitment to democracy, peace and stability will once again "prevail" in Kosovo, he said.

Caution against Unilateral Actions that Roil Tensions

Somalia's delegate expressed Mogadishu's steadfast support for the European Union-facilitated dialogue. Also adding that Kosovo's progress towards European integration depends on inclusive governance, Guyana's delegate urged Kosovo to avoid policies harming ethnic minorities and called on Serbia to likewise refrain from steps that could further strain relations. Kosovo authorities must "cease escalatory unilateral actions" and "take seriously the basic appeals of all communities — including Serbs — in political, economic, cultural and linguistic domains", China's delegate stressed.

Algeria's delegate pointed to the need to create the association of Serb-majority municipalities "that is long awaited", a sentiment several other delegations also emphasized. "Regional stability depends on sustained dialogue, mutual trust and restraint by all parties," added Sierra Leone's representative.

While many Council members welcomed the work of UNMIK, the representative of the United States called for the mission's drawdown, declaring: "There is no security crisis in Kosovo". Describing the Mission as a "bloated" one without peacekeepers, he said its staff perform functions that would be better handled by other organizations. The United States stands committed to identifying wasteful spending throughout the UN and returning the Organization to its original purpose of maintaining peace and security. "This transition is overdue", he emphasized, adding that the Council's "frequent, performative" meetings on Kosovo only serve to give a platform to domestic actors and weaken the UN.

The Russian Federation's delegate said that under no circumstances should international attention to Kosovo weaken. He "categorically" objected to reducing the frequency and changing the format of Security Council meetings, as well as reducing budgetary and staffing levels for UNMIK. Pristina's actions — including raids on Serbian structures, moves to create an independent Orthodox church, erosion of northern Serbian settlements, plans to classify Serbs as foreigners, and blocking the Serb list from elections — remain unchecked. The 2013 EU-backed Association of Serbian Municipalities is unimplemented and Western inaction enables disregard for international law, including military buildup and cooperation with Albania.

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, urged both Pristina and Belgrade to pursue sustained de-escalation efforts in close cooperation with the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. He called on Kosovo to enable the reintegration of Kosovo Serb judges, prosecutors, police officers and other personnel into "all Kosovo institutions they left in 2022". Serbia, for its part, must also take all necessary measures to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the 2023 attacks in the north of Kosovo.

Kosovo 'Just Fine', Says Speaker

"The state of the Republic of Kosova is strong", Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz of Kosovo declared, noting that for the fifth consecutive time the World Bank has ranked Kosovo among Europe's top leaders in economic growth, with projections of about 4 per cent annually for 2025 and 2026. "We are the most pro-NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] and the most pro-US country in the world," she said, recalling that NATO's intervention saved Kosovo from "an ongoing genocide" in which about 13,000 people were killed by Serbian authorities.

She warned that Serbia, "a real threat to the region", maintains a military machine equipped by the Russian Federation and China and recently held joint exercises with China. "[Alexandar] Vučić can only be deterred — not convinced," she said, recalling Serbia's "military-grade attack" against Kosovo in September 2023. Rejecting what she called a "biased and incomplete" UNMIK report, she said Belgrade's and Moscow's propaganda seeks to distort reality and falsely claim that Serb citizens are being driven out. "Serbia is not a normal European country," she said. "If you take the Vučić regime out of the equation, the Balkans is all peace and cooperation."

She added that many call Serbia "Little Russia" because Russian influence is "deeply embedded in politics, government, secret services, the economy, energy, media — everywhere". Calling UNMIK "a huge waste of UN money", she urged its closure and warned against "focusing on the wrong questions instead of tackling the real danger". "Kosovo is just fine," she concluded. "Our citizens, our economy, our military — all are thriving."