American ambassador: I think that Serbia will not be asked to recognize the so-called Kosovo to enter the EU

"What the Europeans are looking for is exactly what they say they are looking for, which is normalization. They want peace and security in the region, and certainly between Kosovo and Serbia," Hill said in an interview for NIN, stating that the Ohrid Agreement does not provide for de jure recognition of Kosovo.

The ambassador emphasized that he thinks it is time to implement what was agreed 11 years ago, but that in the context of implementation, there is a clear picture for the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija.

The Ohrid Agreement did determine some areas that should be focused on, and one of them is the need to create a Community of Serbian Municipalities, Hill said and emphasized that normalization is something that can be worked on, but in the context of the region.

"I think they have said very clearly that there are EU members who do not recognize Kosovo, so the real issue is to try to reach normalization where the borders will not be borders that divide but borders that unite, borders that really unite," Hill said in interview in which he stated that he sees Serbia as a player in Europe, as a country that has a lot to offer.

He assessed that Serbia and the USA have a very, very good dialogue, but added that Washington and Belgrade do not agree on everything.

"We don't agree on Kosovo, but we agree on the necessity of peace and security in Europe. I think we also agree very well that the Russian aggression against Ukraine must stop. So I think we have a lot to build on," Hill said, adding that he would like to see us do more and strengthen the ties between the two nations.

When asked about Serbia not imposing sanctions on Russia, Hill said that the US wants Serbia to join the sanctions, but that it has already taken important steps to make it clear to Russia that it does not agree with the aggression against Ukraine.

"So, I think we have a good understanding with Serbia," Hill said and added that he will leave the part about harmonization with the EU to the talks that Belgrade is having with the Europeans.

"What is important for us right now is that Serbia made it clear where it stands in relation to Ukraine," Hill said.

When asked about the All-Serbian Assembly, the ambassador said that "a big event, a special manifestation with folklore and other things that happened" was held in Belgrade over the weekend.

"But I think that one thing that everyone must understand is that Dayton is the basis of the territorial integrity of Bosnia, the territorial integrity of entities within Bosnia, and that these elements of Dayton must be respected by all parties," Hill pointed out.

When asked whether the EU would reduce tensions in the Western Balkans by admitting the entire region, as well as Russian and Chinese influence, and whether this is possible without the US, Hill answered that the EU makes its own decisions, and that when a country wants to become a member, the US give their support, which they also do with Serbia.

He added that Serbia has things it needs to do in the field of rule of law.

In response to comments that he is soft on the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, Hill stated that he believes that every foreign diplomat goes to a country and cooperates with the representatives of that country, and that he will continue to cooperate with Vučić while he is the President of Serbia.

Hill said that he was disappointed to see Aleksandar Vulin and Nenad Popović in the Government of Serbia again.

The ambassador also said that he would never ask the people of Serbia to ignore the past and forget the NATO bombing, but he also reiterated that he thinks that really, for the sake of the generations to come, we should try to spend more time looking forward than looking back.