The European Union understood that more challenges it put in front of Serbia, it was more likely the country would go closer to Russia and China, James Ker-Lindsay, a visiting professor and an expert on Western Balkans at the London School of Economics (LSE) told Radio Free Europe (RFE) on Wednesday.

“Serbia doesn’t support the UN and EU resolutions condemning Russia, China and other autocratic countries for violating human rights and repression because it relies on their backing in not recognising Kosovo’s independence. That will seemingly last until the issue is resolved,” Ker-Lindsay said.

He explained that if Brussels pressured Belgrade to decide, it knew that Serbia couldn’t antagonise Russia and China because of Kosovo.

“Then, we are back to the original problem,” Ker-Lindsay added.

In his opinion, had there been different circumstances, had there not been the Kosovo issue, the EU would have been more direct and told Serbia – “listen, if you want to join the bloc, you have to adjust your foreign policy.”