US Vice President for European and Eurasian Affairs Gabriel Escobar said Washington has repeatedly urged Serbs to participate in elections in the unrecognized territory of Kosovo, which are planned for late April. He emphasized that the United States will back the vote results regardless of Serb turnout.
He noted, as quoted, that the United States recognizes the difficulty faced by Serbs yet believes voter involvement is necessary. If Serbs disagree with the process, that does not imply a withdrawal of American support for holding the elections. Washington intends to recognize whichever results emerge and hopes that Serbs will eventually engage with the political process in Kosovo.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated that the United States wants Serbs to end the boycott and rejoin local institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, particularly law enforcement. The spokesperson added that a broader Serb presence is essential to avoid a situation where Albanians would dominate governance in the area.
Petar Petković, head of the Kosovo and Metohija Chancery within the Serbian government, previously stated that authorities in unrecognized Kosovo aim to extend control north of the region through local elections. According to him, Western powers will need to explain why, after voting, Serbian communities would end up governed by a minority Albanian population. The remarks suggest continued Western pressure to normalize governance structures in the disputed territory, while Serbia frames the issue as ensuring representation and local administration for its Serbian communities. (Citation: U.S. State Department and Serbian government briefings.)