THE KOSOVO–SERBIA DIALOGUE AMID EUROPE’S POLYCRISIS: BUILDING TRUST IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
Abstract
Europe’s overlapping crises, the pandemic, energy insecurity, and Russia’s war against Ukraine, have placed a disproportionate burden on the Western Balkans. Focusing on Kosovo–Serbia relations, this article argues that the European Union’s facilitation of a status-neutral normalisation process, one that brackets the question of final status, can produce lasting results only if commitments move in parallel, are independently verified, and generate visible benefits in citizens’ everyday lives. The study examines the Franco–German initiative and the Ohrid framework together with the security-related stress test created by the Banjska incident and the conditionality mechanisms of the EU’s new Growth Plan. It contends that moving the dialogue beyond crisis management toward trust-building depends on the balance between enforcement capacity, locally legitimate security arrangements, and the provision of everyday services that improve daily life.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Social Policy (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Dilek Kütük
*
0000-0002-4782-5953
Türkiye
Publication Date
April 15, 2026
Submission Date
September 30, 2025
Acceptance Date
March 30, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 1 Number: 1