Renowned American expert on diplomacy and conflict management, Edward P. Joseph, has presented a proposal that is sparking serious debate in political circles in Washington and Europe: the inclusion of Kosovo and Serbia in NATO.
As well as the application of elements of the Kosovo model to the Donbas region of Ukraine, as part of a broader strategy to weaken Russian influence in Europe.
Joseph, currently a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University – SAIS, said that the Balkans are not a peripheral region, but a key node in Russia’s hybrid war against the West.
“Ukraine is the kinetic dimension of the war. The Balkans is the hybrid dimension. And Serbia is the platform through which Russia exerts its influence in the region,” Joseph declared.
According to Joseph, Serbia’s removal from Moscow’s orbit would have a devastating effect on Russian strategy in Southeast Europe.
“Serbia’s entry into NATO would be like sinking the ship ‘Moskva’ for Russia in the Balkans,” he said, comparing the strategic impact of this step to the symbolic and military defeat of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.
He emphasized that 96 percent of Chinese investments in the Balkans are concentrated in Serbia, while Russia uses Belgrade to block Kosovo and fuel the anti-NATO narrative.
Joseph argues that the idea is not theoretical, but built on current political realities.
“Serbia is already under pressure due to Russian control over the NIS company. This pressure must be accelerated. Belgrade is being forced to break away from Moscow,” he said.
He added that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is in an internal political crisis and that such an offer from President Donald Trump, who enjoys popularity in Serbia, would carry tremendous weight.
“A path to NATO proposed by Trump could not be ignored by Vucic,” Joseph said.
Kosovo and NATO: the game is over
A key element of the proposal is that Kosovo would be offered a path to NATO, regardless of Serbia’s position.
“The moment Kosovo has a path to NATO, the Serbian strategy of diplomatic blockade falls apart. The game is practically over,” Joseph stressed.
He added that NATO membership is much more important for Kosovo than UN membership, comparing the situation to the experience of Ukraine.
Regarding Ukraine, Joseph proposes using the model of UN Resolution 1244, which deliberately left the issue of Kosovo’s status open.
“The Kosovo model takes sovereignty off the immediate table and creates space for real negotiations,” he explained.
According to him, this would allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to “surrender territory,” but to place Donbass under international administration, with peacekeeping troops and a final referendum.
“The irony is that Putin himself insists that Kosovo and Ukraine are absolutely the same. This is precisely the argument the West can use against him,” Joseph said.
Joseph warned that if the Balkans are not stabilized, Europe will remain vulnerable to authoritarian interventions.
“If you take away the Russia-Serbia strategic partnership, the architecture of Russian hybrid warfare collapses,” he stressed.
He called for immediate measures, including sanctions on RT and Sputnik, the closure of Russian intelligence centers, and the acceleration of the region’s Euro-Atlantic integration./TheGeoPost.