US Senator Jeanne Shaheen told Voice of America that the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is worrying and "the increasingly inflammatory rhetoric of Milorad Dodik, who talks about the secession of Republika Srpska from the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina".

Senator Shaheen, a member of the Foreign Policy Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, visited the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, in October, along with Senator Peter Welchom.

When asked by journalist Milena Djurdjic about the effectiveness of American sanctions in training Dodik's rhetoric and what other tools the administration and Congress have, Shaheen answered:

“I think we should continue encouraging the European Union countries to sanction Mr Dodik as well.” They hesitate to do so. I think they have to punish him too, and punish him severely.”

The senator added that the Office of the High Representative should continue to deal with Dodik's attempts to undermine the Dayton Agreement.