President of Kosovo Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu on Why US Leadership Matters in Europe

The Republic of Kosovo has been a close ally of the United States since Washington formally recognized Kosovar independence on February 18, 2008. American leadership has played a pivotal role in the country’s journey, from helping secure peace to advancing Kosovo’s international recognition and statehood. The country is now a potential candidate for European Union accession and aspires to one day join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is also the fastest growing economy in the Western Balkans and has a young, dynamic population. And American forces continue to help Kosovo maintain its sovereignty via ongoing participation in NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.

But revisionist actors threaten peace in the region. China and Russia seek to sow instability and replace US and European influence in the Balkans. It is in America’s interests to combat this influence and ensure Kosovo remains on its Western trajectory.

President of Kosovo Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu will discuss the crucial importance of American leadership for peace and stability in Europe and why America’s role is just as important today as it was over 25 years ago.

Event Transcript

This transcription is automatically generated and edited lightly for accuracy. Please excuse any errors.

Joel Scanlon:

Good afternoon and welcome to Hudson Institute. My name is Joel Scanlon. I’m Executive Vice President here at Hudson. It is my great pleasure and honor to have with us today, her excellency, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, the sixth President of the Republic of Kosovo. Dr. Osmani has a distinguished career in public service, having previously served as Acting President of Kosovo from November, 2020 to March, 2021 before being elected to her current five-year term. She previously had been an elected member of Parliament, served as Speaker of Parliament, in addition to chairing the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on European Integration, and serving as the deputy chair of the Committee on Constitutional Reform.

President Osmani graduated from the Faculty of law at the University of Prishtina and received her master’s degree and doctorate in international law from the University of Pittsburgh, my own alma mater. In 2008, the day after the U.S. formally recognized Kosovo as a sovereign and independent nation, President George W. Bush stated, “The independence of Kosovo is an historic step for the Balkans region. It presents an opportunity to move beyond the conflicts of the past and toward a future of freedom and stability and peace.” Nearly 20 years later, we celebrate the progress that has been made and look forward to continued U.S. leadership in helping to tackle together the challenges which remain. Please join me in welcoming President Osmani, Madam President, welcome to Hudson.

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Ladies and gentlemen, dear organizers, members of the Hudson Institute, good afternoon, dear friends of Kosovo. I want to thank the Hudson Institute for the invitation and for convening this timely and important conversation on something that lies at the heart of global security, and that’s American leadership. As President of the Republic of Kosovo, I represent a nation that understands the true value of freedom because we have lived without it. Our experience has taught us that freedom is never a given. It is something to be earned, constantly protected and never ever taken for granted. It is from this lived experience that we recognized what real leadership looks like, not in rhetoric, but in action.

In standing up for the values, even when it is difficult. In forging alliances that are built not only on interests, but most importantly on shared understanding of the values of freedom and the steadfast belief in democracy and human dignity. We know what American leadership can achieve because we are a living proof of it. Kosovo is a free, sovereign, democratic independent country today because in one of the most difficult and darkest moments in our history, the United States stood up in defense of these values. The United States stood with the people of Kosovo, and it clearly said that genocide would not be tolerated once again on European soil. This legacy is not only our past, it defines our present and it shapes our future.

Today, Europe is once again at a turning point. Peace, democracy, and the very idea of freedom are being tested. From Ukraine to the Western Balkans, we are seeing a dangerous rise in warmongering rhetoric, in aggression, disinformation and instability. We see actors who want to dismantle the international rules-based order that the United States helped build after the World War II. In the Western Balkans, we continue to face efforts that aim to destabilize our region, to weaken the pro-Western institutions and to divide our communities. These threats are not abstract. They are real and they are coordinated. And behind them is the same old playbook coming from Moscow and duplicated by Belgrade.

In Kosovo, we take this threat very seriously. We have adopted concrete measures to strengthen our defense and security institutions and to build societal resilience against disinformation, propaganda and maligned foreign influence. The goal of these operations is not just to confuse, it is to divide, to destabilize, and to reverse the democratic progress that our region has made alongside our American and European allies. This is why American leadership matters not just as a force of strength, but as a force of moral clarity, a force of stability, a force that brings allies together and reminds the world once again what it means to stand on the right side of history.

America’s presence in Europe is not just strategic, it’s foundational. Where there is American leadership, there’s always more peace, more stability, more freedom and more opportunity then for people to thrive. Indeed, a stable, democratic, and secure Europe is a force multiplier for American power, for American values and economic interests. Even every democracy defended, every alliance strengthened, and every maligned tendency countered in our region is not only a win for us, but also for the United States of America. Because instability in the Balkans never stays contained. It spills over, but so does stability, so does peace, so does prosperity.

When America invests in peace in our region, it prevents far more costly crises tomorrow. It builds trustworthy partners. It expands democratic space and strengthens the very global order that benefits American security and prosperity at home. That’s why U.S. presence is not only welcomed, it is essential. And on this note, we welcome the persistence by the current U.S. administration for Europe to step up its defense efforts because ultimately this is about Europe itself. It’s about protecting our freedom, securing the future of our children, and making sure we all invest in our collective defense. And that’s why Kosovo doesn’t just ask for support, we also show up. We show up when our allies need us.

We have fully aligned our foreign and defense policy with that of the United States, including on sanctions, and we actively contribute to global security through joint peacekeeping missions alongside the U.S. armed forces. We agree that everyone must move faster on defense spending, and Kosovo is already doing its part. We’re already spending 2% of our GDP on defense, and in just a few years we’re planning to spend double of that amount because we understand that peace is preserved through strength.

Ladies and gentlemen, Kosovo has no doubts as to where it stands and for what it stands. We belong to the Euro-Atlantic family and we’ve spent hundreds of years, not just decades, defending the values that this Euro-Atlantic family represents. And we are fully committed to the values that bind us all together. But commitment we understand is not enough. Our region still faces fragile peace. Our democracy is strong, but constantly tested, and our NATO and EU membership remain unfinished business. That’s why we need U.S. leadership, not only as a guarantor of peace, but most importantly as the driver of progress. Kosovo may be small, but our commitment to the United States and our values is vast, it’s immense.

And we’re confident that America’s role in Europe is vital because the more present America is, the stronger our democracies become, and the more secure the future of the West becomes. In the light of global developments, we need more of peace through strength because unfortunately, some things change on paper, but not in practice. Take for instance, two very familiar examples. Serbia’s leader today who once served as Chief of propaganda during the ‘90s, they persist with the same ideology today, just rebranded. Rebranded with different talk. Putin hasn’t changed either, nor have those who echo his playbook in our region.

Serbia now flirts openly with Moscow, Beijing, even Tehran. And the more blind eyes we turn, the more darkness spreads through Europe’s doorstep. We must therefore be very clear-eyed about these dangers because the future of the Western Balkans and the future of the European continent will be determined by the bold choices we make today. And those choices can never be made by ignoring the truth and the reality in the ground. And those choices most importantly require American leadership.

So let me close with this. The United States is not just Kosovo’s closest ally, it is the very reason we are free and alive today, and it’s the reason we believe in the power of leadership rooted in those values that were so perfectly demonstrated in Kosovo. American engagement in Europe is a strategic necessity. It’s a strategic necessity for Europe, for the United States, and for every single nation around the globe that believes in freedom. Thank you very much and I look forward to our conversation.

Daniel Kochis:

Well, welcome President Osmani to Hudson Institute and welcome to all of you. My name is Daniel Kochis. I’m a senior fellow with our Center on Europe and Eurasia, and it’s a real pleasure to be hosting this conversation this afternoon, and thank you for those stirring remarks. And I liked how you focused on U.S. presence and engagement in Europe is really a win-win. It’s foundational for the peace and prosperity of the continent, but it’s also a force multiplier for the United States. So I think the timing is auspicious for our conversation. It seems that in the past two weeks we’ve seen growing signs that the Western Balkans are rising on the Trump administration’s agenda.

There’s a senior State Department official I believe is on the ground this week, including in Kosovo, and we’ve heard the President talking about it in the last few weeks. So how do you gauge the possibility of Washington getting some movement on the Washington Agreement, either reviving it, either in part or in whole? And where do you think that the Trump administration is most likely to put their emphasis in their initial approach to the region?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Well, the Washington Agreement has been implemented, but where I see more potential is going well beyond the Washington Agreement. Our experience with the Trump administration is that they are doers, they get things done, so I think there is potential to get important things done, not irrelevant things, not small things. I’m talking about big things, things that would truly contribute to long-lasting peace, not quick fixes, long-lasting peace in the region. And for that reason, we’ve been coming to Washington quite often talking to members of the new administration to discuss, one, the potential in our economic relations. And I oftentimes say that a country’s potential should not be determined by a size alone. So despite Kosovo being a small country, I think, I believe we...

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

So despite Kosovo being a small country, I believe we have some good ideas about how this economic relationship can move forward with. And as I said, it could be a force multiplier for America’s leadership in the world at a time when there’s this huge competitiveness with China, when there are certain industries that are a monopoly of China. We need to help the United States to increase its role in world economy. And I think it can be done through the help of countries that are pro-American. And as you know, Kosovo is the most pro-American nation on earth with over 97% of the people of Kosovo trusting in the United States and its leadership. And it’s not just some ideological or ideal looking at the America as this ideal democracy. It’s about a living experience. We’ve seen how America works, we’ve seen what America can achieve.

And as we often say worldwide, Kosovo is the perfect example in the embodiment of what democracies can achieve when they stand together in defense of freedom. But most importantly, Kosovo is a flawless American victory. It’s a victory that the United States needs to talk about internationally at a time when the malign forces and your adversaries are trying to showcase Afghanistan and Iraq and say, “Look, whatever America touches, it destroys,” we need to tell the rest of the world, it’s the exact opposite. Look at Kosovo. A flawless democracy, a country with the highest GDP growth in the region, a country that is serving shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. army in defending peace elsewhere, therefore contributing to global security. A country that is fully aligned with you, not just policies, but also in values. A true ally to the United States of America.

And the more countries that truly are allies to you, the more American power, the more American leadership, and therefore, influence in the world at a time when it is so crucial that this triangle of China, Russia and Iran is not able to multiply its own malign influence. So we need to work with the United States, and I think, I truly believe it’s a win-win, and I think Kosovo has a role to play despite of it being a small country in this regard.

Now, the U.S. administration has been, as you rightly pointed out, quite vocal about our region in the past couple of weeks. And that is, as President Trump stated, he prevented a flare-up. He prevented an escalation because of what was Serbia trying to do at the border with Kosovo. But it was his personal role and engagement that prevented that, which is a true leadership in preserving peace. Because peace, as we all know from the war in Ukraine, should never be taken for granted. It’s something that constantly needs to be protected, constantly needs to be nurtured. And the role of the United States in that endeavor is crucial. It’s indispensable and it’s irreplaceable.

So despite of the fact that we want to become members of the European Union, and that’s where we belong, history of our region shows that only at the time when there was U.S. leadership was peace achieved. And for that reason, our region, for the very first time in the history of its existence, in fact, has been at peace in the past 25, 26 years. Because before that, we had never known peace. No generation before our kids had known peace. And that’s because of that flag worn in the uniforms of the brave men and women who have served in Kosovo and our region and have been preserving peace since then. But that then, it’s a multiplying force for the economy because economic development and prosperity, it’s impossible without peace as a precondition. So I think the return is always higher than the actual investment.

Daniel Kochis:

I think there’s a number of threads there that I’d like to pick up, but I think you talked about the preconditions for economic development for the European Union really was the stability in Europe provided by NATO. In May, in Dayton, you stated that to be in NATO means to be safe. The security being the precondition for everything that a well-functioning society can achieve. Albania will play host to the NATO Summit in 2027. It’s a tremendous opportunity for the region and for Kosovo. Maybe the president could visit Kosovo on his way to and from the summit, but-

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Hopefully sooner than that.

Daniel Kochis:

Hopefully sooner than that. But that would be a natural stopping point.

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

I agree.

Daniel Kochis:

Where do you hope, though, to see your country in terms of its relations with NATO come 2027?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

I think even as we speak, Kosovo is ready to join NATO, both in terms of policy as well as in terms of the preparedness of our army. For the past 26 years, our armed forces, initially they were not that armed, but still, they had to undergo training. But every single training, every single preparation was through NATO and mostly by the United States Army. So it’s an army that is fully ready to contribute. We shouldn’t simply be seen as a burden, but rather, as a contributor. Even in terms of economy, you spend less if you ask a country to join NATO and that country then contributes. Right now, as I mentioned, we’re spending 2%, but we’re ready well before 2035 to go to the 5% that is required because we believe that that is a direct contribution to our security, whether individual or collective.

So as I said, we’re ready to join NATO. It’s a little complex in the case of Kosovo because there are four non-recognizers that would need to be convinced. But I strongly believe that if the President wants, he can convince them in a matter of 24 hours because after all, it’s a strategic necessity. And strategically speaking, it’s also in the interest of NATO to have more NATO territory rather than less NATO territory. History shows that Russia picks non-NATO territory in order to cause fragility, tensions, destabilization, and ultimately, conflict. So why not prevent? Why wait for a situation like the one in Ukraine and then it becomes so much more complex? It’s so important that we become NATO members before, and then that really diminishes the possibilities of conflict, possibilities of flare-ups and destability. So it’s a win-win for every NATO member state that truly believes in a Europe that is whole in freedom, but that is never a dream that will be fully achieved without our part of the world within the NATO alliance.

Of course, the European Union membership is crucially important, but at this time, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO has, for us, it has become the top priority, the number one priority. So I think if there is American leadership that wants to make this happen, it could happen quite quickly. It would require then obviously, ratification in the member states. And that’s not an easy process, but I absolutely think it is possible.

Look, our nation has gone through so many times when we were told things were impossible. In early ‘90s when our founding father, President Rugova would come to Washington D.C. initially, there might have been people in the State Department who would’ve told him, “Don’t talk about independence. It’s not a dream that can be realized.” But he persisted and we persisted as a resilient nation. And the more we work, the more friends we convinced, whether at the U.S. Congress or at the White House. And ultimately, then the United States became the first country then through President George Bush in 2007, who said, “Enough is enough. Kosovo must be independent.” And that opened the path and made it so much easier and smoother for us to gain our independence and to have freedom after more than a century of an occupation from Serbia.

So, in that sense, I think that it is difficult. It is complex, but it’s absolutely not impossible. It’s absolutely possible, especially now. An additional partner that contributes 5%, that’s also good for NATO. More NATO territory, that’s good for everyone because that’s less malign influence from Russia, China, and Iran. And finally, as I said, to be in NATO is to be safe. There’s more safety for our citizens, therefore, more possibility for prosperity, for economic relationships, and for people to thrive.

Daniel Kochis:

You talked in your opening remarks about fighting disinformation, and of course, we know that Russia plays a very malign, destabilizing influence really across the globe, but in particular in the Western Balkans. Have you seen that activity slow down as they’ve been distracted with the war against Ukraine? Or is that somehow supercharged their nefarious activities in the region? How do you see the tempo of Russian disinformation in particular?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

The moment the Russian invasion against Ukraine started, I’m talking about the 2022 invasion, not the 2014 one. That’s when Russia immediately tripled the amount of money that they would spend in disinformation campaigns in the Western Balkans alone. So it has been a constant intention by the Putin regime to have a spillover effect from Ukraine. And obviously, they tried to use Serbia oftentimes as a proxy state through which they can destabilize the region. I strongly believe that is for a number of reasons. First, because their interest is a Europe destabilized. And they believe that the more conflict, the more problems, the more places where there’s destability, the more they can achieve their attacks against the values-based systems, which NATO and the European Union represent.

Secondly, I think very plainly said, they want to undo everything American achieved in our region. And they are very transparent about it. If you listen to Putin and his statements, he says, “We will prove to the world that America failed in Kosovo, the same way that,” according to him, “That America failed in Afghanistan and elsewhere.” They’re not going to manage to do that. But he’s very transparent about what his intention is. He wants to cause conflicts in our region, problems, destability and he wants to show that Kosovo is some sort of a failure, not because he cares about Kosovo, but because he wants to show American failure.

As I said, Kosovo is not a failure, and especially America is not a failure because of examples like Kosovo, which are flawless wins for American defense and foreign policy. And for that reason, it is so important that we defend these success stories, that we preserve them and that we showcase what America has achieved in Europe. Peace was possible in Europe after the Second World War because of the United States of America. Peace was possible in Europe in the ‘90s because of the United States of America. And peace will be possible in Ukraine only with the leadership role of the United States of America.

So at least since the Second World War, three times in a row, peace is possible in European continent because of American leadership. So yeah, there is clear instances of Russia constantly increasing their level of propaganda and disinformation. We haven’t seen that they have decreased that because they’re busy in Ukraine, quite the opposite. The busier they get, the more they try to expand and have this spillover effect of the conflict, because for them, it’s about fighting you. It’s about fighting the United States. And they are very well aware that they can fight American interests by fighting American success stories. So that’s why we shouldn’t let them have it.

Daniel Kochis:

I loved how you talked about this, the U.S. actions in the region being a success story and really, that the current moment is a tremendous opportunity in terms of improving the strategic, the political, the security situation in Europe for the next coming decades. And I’m talking specifically about defeating the Russians in Ukraine.

There is another player, of course, who also plays an oftentimes nefarious role in the region, and that’s China. All of the regions outside of Kosovo are members of the now 14 Plus 1. There’s wide investments, of course, they’re partnering with-

Daniel Kochis:

... One, there’s wide investments. Of course, they’re partnering with Serbia, particularly on surveillance technology. So how do you see China’s role in the region? Can they play any positive role, and how do you see that in particular vis-a-vis the Russia-China, do you see that as sort of zero-sum game, or are they kind of singing off the same song sheet?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

I think it’s a different song, but kind of the same goals. Of course, China has used different instruments, mostly economic interests to try to expand its malign influence over the Western Balkans. We’ve resisted it. Right now, we are the only country in the region that is outside the China Road and Belt Initiative because we have always seen the malign and dressed behind their so-called investment in roads and loans and so on and so forth. So we never accepted that kind of influence or any for that matter.

So it’s very different. The instruments that they use are different from the ones that are used in Russia. But as you said, they have found a strong partner in Serbia. And I would say not just in surveillance mechanisms, but also in defense. Right now, Serbia is the only country in Europe that possesses the Chinese FK-3 system, the only country in Europe that would never join the European Union on sanctions on aligning whether against Iran or Hezbollah or so on and other forces that have been causing trouble around the world.

And when Xi Jinping visited Serbia, it was, I think, well, definitely the only country in our region. He visited only two or three countries in Europe, but he picked Serbia, and guess which two countries him and Vučić attacked in their press conference? The United States and Kosovo. So it really showcases their true intentions, but I would say, it’s very different mechanisms and ways that they use to spread their influence.

But let’s talk about their economic power a little bit right now, at least from what we read, because I’m not an expert in this area. So there are a lot of countries around the world that have rare earth minerals, nevertheless, almost 100%, if not 100%, of the processing of those minerals happens in China. So they have the monopoly over this. We need to help the United States open these processing centers elsewhere, whether it’s in the United States or, let’s say, Kosovo and other countries that can multiply American power in this very important industry that can empower America in their relationship with China. So this is the way through which we can perhaps diminish the malign influence and increase a more positive influence of China. It can only happen through the United States of America. That’s my impression and my opinion.

Daniel Kochis:

Rare earths are clearly one of the areas where the Trump administration is keenly focused. I think just today there’s the announcement, the US has taken a 15% stake in the company, which is operating the only rare earth mine in the US and in California.

Another area that they’re keenly focused on, Madam President, is energy. I know that you’ve spoken quite frequently and passionately about air quality issues in the region and in Kosovo, and a lot of this comes down to the coal-fired power plants. Is there an opportunity perhaps to partner with the US, with the government, with US businesses to bring in either cleaner technology, cleaner factories, producing that to improve that situation? Are you looking at the energy dimension in particular?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Yes, the energy dimension is actually one of the top three dimensions that we’re looking at when it comes to our relationship, economic relationship with the United States. I think there’s huge potential out there. And as you rightly pointed out, when talking about coal, and Kosovo has the third-largest reserve in Europe, the fifth-largest reserve of coal in the world, so quite a big reserve, but there are new technologies out there.

So we’re looking into working with the United States, with US companies in bringing technologies that would make it possible to use the reserves that we have, but to make it in a cleaner way so that in one way we can preserve the health of our citizens because air quality is ultimately about the health for our kids and our citizens. And secondly, we can also use all of those reserves that we have in a way that would benefit our economy and our relationship. So it’s something that we’re definitely looking into.

So let me just make a digression here. Not everyone in Kosovo agrees with what I said. It’s testament to us being a strong democracy, but this is strongly my opinion. We need to look at these opportunities to both use coal but use it in a way that cannot cause the damage that is causing right now. The technology that we use right now, it’s at least 50, 60 years old. Technology is advancing rapidly, especially nowadays. So we want to work with US companies to make that happen.

Daniel Kochis:

You talked previously about the growth rate of Kosovo, 6%. I mean, it’s tremendous opportunity for US businesses and companies to partner with Kosovo. And so the energy is one component of the three areas you’re looking at. Can you talk about the other two focus areas in the economic sphere?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Sure. We’re looking into technology and AI because Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe that is so tech-savvy, multilingual, brilliant, that have been doing wonders, not just locally, but also internationally in making sure that great successes are achieved in this area. I think there is enormous potential to work in that direction.

And already all of the tech companies in Kosovo cooperate very closely with the United States. About 75% of that industry in Kosovo actually works together with the United States, and the rest is mostly Germany, Switzerland. We’re looking into partnerships with countries like Japan, Singapore, and so on. So we also share the same alliances and, of course, that are based on the same values.

And then as the third component, we’re looking at the defense industry because we think that is very much interlinked with economy. So we’re looking at arms production. We think that Kosovo has enormous capabilities to do that alongside the US, and different US companies that might be interested in this regard at a time when we need to produce more, both because of our internal needs, but also because of what Europe needs right now, what the United States needs right now, and what the alliance, NATO, to which we want to join needs right now. So production of defense capabilities is the third aspect. So that’s where we’re focused right now. And I think it also fits the priorities of the Trump administration in making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Daniel Kochis:

I want to open it soon to questions in the audience, but since you mentioned sort of a youthful population, I’m struck that Kosovo’s average age is about four years younger than the United States, I think seven years younger than Germany, so it’s a tremendous asset for Kosovo, particularly in a lot of the tech sectors. When you’re talking about having such a young population, it does come with some challenges. So I wanted to ask how Kosovo’s thinking about the issues of brain drain on particularly on the high end areas. And also I think then on the flip side, you mentioned in your remarks on the podium about Vučić, and so I wanted to ask, do you see it being really a generational question in terms of the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia from the Serbian side and maybe youth providing some kind of optimism that there could be a more positive future there?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Well, to jump directly to the second question, to some extent, yeah, to some extent, I think it’s a generational question in the sense that, I mean, we all went through war, we were children of war, we went through a horrible war, but we didn’t participate, the people of Kosovo did not participate in committing crimes. Whereas when you look at Vučić, the guy was Milošević’s propaganda minister. I mean, it’s the truth, it’s the truth. It walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s...

The guy still believes in that same mindset. It’s unfortunate. It’s unfortunate for the people of Serbia and the country he leads, it’s unfortunate for the entire region, and then it’s unfortunate for all of our allies that they have to deal with his constant destabilization tactics. Instead of talking about prosperity, instead of talking about joint regional projects that would all make us move forward, instead of talking about how to give opportunities to the young generation, he brings the stability, warmongering. He talks about the greater Serbia or the Serbian world. It’s a copycat of Putin’s playbook. He looks at the countries around him as temporary states, a logic that has been present in Russia since Catherine the great, invade, invade, invade, and something might remain to you at the very end. It’s the same logic, and unfortunately in that effort, he uses a lot of propaganda.

And in the past 12, 13 years that he’s in power, he’s managed to bring his country from a 96% alignment with European Union to a 40% alignment with the EU. No sanctions against Russia, no sanctions against Iran, no alignment on values, which shows you that he’s not just sitting in two chairs, he’s already made his choice. So those who continuously use appeasement tactics with the hopes that he will change, I think they’re just wasting their time because they’ve tried, they’ve tried for more than a decade, and the result is this, 83% of the people of Serbia, because of the media captured by Vučić, believe that the war was started by Ukraine. 83% they trust Putin. They don’t trust the West, they have no trust in American leadership.

So the point is it is generational, not in the sense of age, but in the sense of the mindset that Vučić belongs to. He worked with Milošević, he propagated for genocide in Srebrenica, the 30th anniversary of which we will commemorate tomorrow, and he has been very vocal about what he believed in. And he never ever disassociated himself with that kind of policy, he never separated himself with Milošević’s legacy. Quite the opposite, he publicly calls Milošević a great man with good intentions. So he never blames Milošević for causing 150,000 civilian deaths, but for not winning the war, for not winning the war, not for causing the wars, but for not winning them.

So it’s his mindset. He belongs to a mindset that should have been left behind in the 19th century. Unfortunately, it’s still there. So hopefully with a different generation, again, I’m not talking about age, I’m talking about mindset, with a different generation that believes in human rights, that believes in democracy, that believes in good neighborly relations, and in Euro-Atlantic values, the entire region can move forward.

Daniel Kochis:

Thank you.

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

The first question.

Daniel Kochis:

The first question about opportunities within Kosovo, but also challenges in terms of brain drain, and how do you keep a track of this?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

The brain drain in Kosovo mostly affected the medical sector, which is very unfortunate because we really need to work so much harder to increase the quality of the medical sector. But the brain gain has mostly happened in the IT technology sector. So, so many young people in this sector returning from Germany, the United States, who were born here, they lived here, they prospered here, and now they’re investing in Kosovo through they’re American companies or Swiss-Kosovo companies, German-Kosovo companies. So these are the success stories. That’s where mostly the brain gain has been happening.

Daniel Kochis:

I like that, brain gain. Excellent. I think we-

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Gain.

Daniel Kochis:

Gain, yes. We have time for some questions from the audience. Sir, in the front, we have a microphone coming if you just wait.

Daniel Serwer:

Daniel Serwer. Let me ask the tough question. You described the democracy as flawless, but it’s also stuck right now. What are your hopes for unsticking it, and is there a need for...

Speaker 1:

What are your hopes for unsticking it? And is there a need for more fundamental reform in the Constitution, so that this doesn’t happen again?

Daniel Kochis:

Thank you.

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

In our constitution, when we drafted it, it was impossible to foresee every single scenario. It was drafted in a way with a positive thinking, that lawmakers would cooperate, rather than block each other and block the institution. So, right now, because of some Constitutional lack of clarity, if I may call it so, the Parliament is not Constituted. But we had a new case in the Constitutional court, and the court has clarified that there’s this strict thirty-day deadline, which is going to expire in the 26th of July, for the Constitution of the Parliament. But it didn’t clarify, what is the legal consequence of not meeting that mandatory Constitutional deadline?

So, it looks like I’m going to have to address the court again, and ask them that separate question, and hopefully they will answer. But I also have tiny little hopes that good things might happen in the next two weeks or so, and maybe we might have a government, no matter how fragile, but we need a government and a parliament Constituted, in order to prevent damages for the country. But when I said flawless, I said mostly in the sense of defending values, rather than the usual problems that every democracy faces. I mean, Belgium didn’t have a government for six months, once in two years. So, we’ve built quite resilient institutions, I would say, that can deal with the day-to-day work of running the country. And the President is here, so no worries.

Daniel Kochis:

Yes, sir. Sir, in the second row.

Burim Regjaj:

Thank you. Burim Regjaj, Albanian-American Relations Council. This is a follow-up to Mr. Sarve’s questions. Madam President, do you believe that external mediation or pressure by Kosovo’s international partners might be necessary or helpful in resolving the political deadlock in Kosovo? Or, should this be resolved as internal consensus?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

I strongly believe it must be resolved by ourselves. It’s about time we stand on our own feet.

Daniel Kochis:

Excellent. Other questions? Yes, ma’am. There’s a microphone if you just wait a sec.

Speaker 2:

All right. First of all, I want to thank you so much for coming here. As somebody with parents who are refugees from Ferizaj, growing up, I was always keen on seeing Kosovo becoming a better place, and it definitely has. I mean, your judgment is better than mine, but I think it has. I think you’ve done a great job on targeting issues within our nation and definitely attacks from Serbia. I want to ask, how do you think the United States has helped us with NATO membership, and also in gaining recognition from other states?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

If we go back... Thank you for your question, and I wish you all the very best. It’s great to see the younger generation of refugees from Kosovo now really prospering and thriving. It’s very encouraging. The United States has especially helped 2008 to 2012. Those four years were the most active, in terms of helping Kosovo gain recognitions, and helping us in many other fronts. These were the first steps we made as an independent and sovereign country, and that’s where we got most of our recognitions.

And then, as one would expect, we weren’t really the top priority on the table any longer, because there were so many other problems around the world. And the more you’re not a priority, the less attention there is on the issues that you face. So, you can’t really expect that the President of the United States would pick up the phone every single day and call countries and tell them, “Look, you should recognize Kosovo.” Well, President Trump did that with Israel. It was great. So, it happened, and it happened immediately once he did that.

But of course, we engage actively. We engage ourselves in the process of gaining recognitions. We recently received two more, Kenya and Sudan, and I want to once again repeat my thanks to these great two countries. And we’re working with the Trump administration to see how we can work with more nations around the world, many of which are geographically distant. And they haven’t made the decision, just because we were really not a priority in their agenda.

But I think the Trump administration has so much positive influence in so many countries, and it could be done with very little effort that costs nothing. Whereas, the return would be so much higher, because we would close down this chapter of recognitions. It would help Kosovo become more secure, and we would focus entirely on our economic relationship. So, I do hope that we will receive support in this regard, but our efforts will not stop.

And then, when it comes to joining NATO, we are yet to see the moment when Kosovo in our region, per se, becomes more of a priority of this administration, because rightly so, right now, everyone is dealing with the Middle East, and with Ukraine, and so many other problems around the world. I don’t like to see ourselves as problems, but as opportunities, as potential. So, here we are offering more potential to NATO, more contribution to NATO, soldiers who are ready. And I would say, probably the only other soldiers outside of the United States, who are ready to give their lives the same way that they would give theirs for Kosovo, also for the United States. So true partners, true allies, that would serve shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. forces around the world. So true contributors, I would say.

And we’re hoping for more action. We heard a lot of nice statements in the past, but Kosovo belongs in Europe. Kosovo belongs in the European Union. Kosovo belongs in NATO. It’s not sufficient any longer. Let’s get it done, for the sake of everyone’s security, safety, and prosperity. It is possible this administration can get it done, as I said, with very little effort and with zero cost.

Daniel Kochis:

Madam President, there are five countries in Europe which are still non-recognizers. Four of them are NATO members. So, your belief is that this will not change without direct U.S. intervention or pressure. Is that my understanding?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

Exactly. Let’s call it positive pressure.

Daniel Kochis:

Positive pressure. Very good. I think we have time for one final question. Yes. In the second row.

Speaker 3:

Hi, President. Good to see you. I want to circle back to your points on the U.S. being kind of a solidifying factor in the region. We saw what happened in the Oval Office a couple months ago, with Zelensky visiting, and the shouting match that ensued. Do you think the U.S. can take a stronger stance on Ukraine, and push harder to fight against Russia?

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu:

I believe the United States has... I mean, I haven’t spoken to President Trump to know this. It’s just our impression. Our impression is that they have a plan on how to make Ukraine not just win this war, but at the same time live in peace and in prosperity. And the way how President Trump does this is quite different from other leaders, but oftentimes it can yield more results. And probably, you have heard the latest statements that he made about Putin, and it does show that it’s in the right direction.

We are a country that has been saved through NATO intervention. We are a country that has been saved through U.S. leadership. So, it is only natural that we always advocate for stronger U.S. role. But at the same time, I do want to recognize that the situation between Russia and Ukraine is so much more complex than what happened in former Yugoslavia. Because in Yugoslavia, you didn’t have to deal with a nuclear power. With Russia it’s so much more complex. So, I have full confidence that there is a plan, a step-by-step plan, that the current administration will be implementing into achieving peace and prosperity in Ukraine, which the people of Ukraine so much deserve.

But at the same time, our hope is, our hope for all of us who had to go through aggression, and who had to go through genocide. Our hope is that the final agreement or the final deal, or the final resolution, will be one that will not allow Russia to re-invade Ukraine. Because I mean, we’re talking about 400 years of invasion, after invasion, after invasion, after invasion. I hope that the final resolution will be one that will not allow Russia to hope that they can invade other countries, whether it’s the Baltics or Poland, or... Well, they are in NATO. But let’s talk about Moldova and Georgia, and other countries in the region that are so endangered.

I hope that the final resolution will not be one that will give Russia even a glimpse of hope, that they can do crazy stuff in the Western Balkans. It should be, one, should be a resolution that will take into account the wider context, not just relations between Russia and Ukraine. Because history shows that Russia never stops just with one country. And again, they’re very transparent about their intentions. They even say now, that they regret it, except in Finland’s independence. I mean, it does tell that these are imperialistic intentions. It’s not just about a war against Ukraine.

So, no one should fall for Russian propaganda. I have strong belief in U.S. leadership. I know it takes patience. We had to be patient for a very, very long time, and our nation had to endure a lot. But finally, we’re free, we’re independent, we’re sovereign. But again, even after that, peace is a daily effort. Prosperity, peace, stability, these are daily efforts. It requires constant nurturing, constant protecting, and preserving. And this can be done only with allies by your side. There’s no nation, no matter how big or small that can do this alone.

Daniel Kochis:

Well, thank you for bringing such a positive message of opportunity. Clearly, these are challenging times, but I do believe that there’s so much ahead of the Euro-Atlantic community. The Trump administration is keenly interested, I think, in the region. So, I think that there are better days ahead, and good days ahead for all of us. So, if you would please join me in giving a round of applause to President Osmani.