Osmani: Any peace agreement should not encourage Russia's imperialist ambitions

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, who is on an official visit to Finland, stressed the importance of any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia not encouraging Moscow to "further pursue its imperialist and territorial ambitions towards other countries."

“And, I’m not just talking about this part of Europe — I’m also talking about the Western Balkans, because there has always been a traditional and historical goal of Russia to create a chain effect,” Osmani said on Wednesday, during a joint press conference with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, in Helsinki.

Osmani stated that if concessions are made to Russia, just because it is bigger and has more weapons, "this is dangerous for the rest of the world and not just for the European continent."

She said she believes it is very important that US President Donald Trump is paying attention to human suffering.

"When we have a human-centered approach, then peace is possible," said Osmani.

The President of Kosovo argued that the Kremlin's objective goes beyond territorial conquest, aiming to undermine European unity and discredit the value systems of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"Because, beyond territories, what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants is an unstable Europe. What Putin wants is to send the message that the value systems that the European Union and NATO represent are a failure. We should not give him this argument, because Kosovo is a testament to the success of the European Union, NATO and the transatlantic partnership."

She said it is important that the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the United States remains strong, "because history has shown us that only when this relationship is strong do we see successes that contribute to a Europe whole, free and at peace."

Osmani is on a two-day visit to Finland. During the meeting with Finnish President Stubb, they discussed bilateral relations between Finland and Kosovo, the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Western Balkans, and European security.

The President of Finland said during the press conference that the unexpected consequence of Russia's aggressive war in Ukraine is that Europe is more united than ever, and that European integration is back on the agenda.

"We are witnessing the birth of a New Iron Curtain between Europe and Russia, and Kosovo's place is very clear. It is in the heart of Europe, and, of course, we hope that Kosovo will make every effort to use this opportunity towards deeper integration into the heart of Europe and future membership in the European Union," he said.

Both presidents declined to comment on a reporter's question about what would happen if Ukraine rejected an agreement that would see it lose some territory and if the U.S. withdrew from the process. They said they would not comment until it became official what happens with the process.

"It's a difficult job," Stubb said, expressing confidence that the diplomatic effort will continue.

Finnish President Stubb added that Finland supports Kosovo's path towards the EU, its membership in the Council of Europe, and that stability in the region is important for European security.

"To conclude, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is an essential step towards building long-term stability in the region. Maintaining peace in the Western Balkans is important not only for the peoples of the region, but for Europe as a whole."

Osmani said that Kosovo has chosen dialogue as the only means to resolve outstanding issues, but added that "lasting peace can only be built through full respect for international agreements and the rule of law, and ultimately, by not denying or harassing the neighbor."

"Unfortunately, we have learned the hard way what it means to have a neighbor who does not believe in these principles. However, we have once again extended a hand of cooperation, to all our neighbors, because we must ensure that our children, the first generation to have known only peace and not war, never experience what we have experienced."

Osmani also said that she has proposed that Kosovo and Finland work together for a more comprehensive agreement in the field of security and defense between the two countries.

As part of this visit, the President of Kosovo awarded the Presidential Military Medal to the Finnish Armed Forces, for their contribution to peace and security in Kosovo, within the framework of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR./rel