The removal of a large Ukrainian flag from a building in central Pristina has triggered political reactions after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed during a visit to Belgrade that Kyiv’s position on Kosovo remains unchanged. The flag had been displayed in Pristina since the beginning of the war in Ukraine as a symbol of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Its removal came one day after Zelensky’s visit to Serbia.
Zelensky Reaffirms Ukraine’s Position During Belgrade Visit
During his visit to Belgrade, Zelensky said Ukraine continued to respect Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and had not changed its position regarding Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence. He stated that Ukraine respects the territorial integrity of its partners and international law and stressed that Kyiv’s policy on Kosovo remained unchanged.
The statement prompted sharp criticism from representatives and media in Pristina. Ukraine does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state.
Pristina Mayor: Kosovo Must Be Respected
Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama published footage of the Ukrainian flag being removed and said Kosovo had to be respected. He stated that when Kosovo was not respected, the capital, Pristina, would respond in the same manner.
Rama nevertheless stressed that the empathy and solidarity of Pristina’s citizens would remain with peoples facing war, violence and persecution. He said Kosovo’s citizens understood what it meant to fight for freedom, dignity and the right to exist as a state, but argued that no political objective or policy could be pursued by diminishing Kosovo’s statehood or the sacrifices of its people.
The Ukrainian flag had been displayed prominently in central Pristina for approximately four years. Kosovo had also joined Western countries in condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia as a demonstration of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Vučić Questions Pristina’s Support for Ukraine
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reacted to the removal of the flag by arguing that Pristina’s support for Ukraine had not been sincere. According to Vučić, Pristina had supported Ukraine because it expected Ukraine and Europe to take action against Serbia. He said that what he regarded as genuine was hostility towards Serbia and the Serbian people.
The episode further highlighted political tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, particularly over Ukraine’s position towards Kosovo and its continued recognition of Serbia’s territorial integrity.
Albania Reaffirms Support for Kosovo’s Independence
Albania subsequently reaffirmed what it described as its firm support for Kosovo’s sovereignty and independence. The Albanian Foreign Ministry said that just as Albania stood firmly behind Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and European future, it equally supported Kosovo’s sovereignty, independence and what it described as Kosovo’s deserved place in the Euro-Atlantic family.
The ministry argued that Kosovo’s case rested on its own historical, political and legal foundations. It referred to the International Court of Justice’s conclusion, issued following a request from the UN General Assembly, that Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law.
Albania rejected attempts to draw parallels or establish equivalence between Kosovo and other international situations, describing such comparisons as wrong, opportunistic and deeply misleading. It said Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was fundamentally different and represented a serious violation of the UN Charter and international law.
