Following the changes in the White House, Serbian officials and pro-government media have revived a narrative portraying Kosovo as an unstable and opportunistic U.S. ally.

On January 23, 2025, the Serbian outlet “Politika.rs” published an article titled: “Aleksandar Vulin: Albanian Loyalty Can Only Be Compared to Bulgaria Switching Sides in 1944.” Vulin, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister, weighed in on the recent debate in Kosovo regarding relations with the U.S. during Donald Trump’s presidency. Commenting on statements made by the Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, about the approaches of Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s administrations, Vulin stated: “Albanians are complaining about Biden, even after naming a highway after his son. Their loyalty can only be compared to Bulgaria’s switch to the winning side in 1944. I urge Serbs expecting support from Kurti to think about this.”

With this, Vulin was referring to the historical fact that Bulgaria, from 1941 until the end of August 1944, was a member of Hitler’s Axis. Later, it declared neutrality in the war between Germany and the Soviet Union and called on German troops to leave the country. The Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria on September 5 of that same year.

Vulin, who is sanctioned by both the U.S. and the U.K. for his ties to organized crime and Russian influence, is known for spreading disinformation narratives aimed at undermining Kosovo’s credibility in relation to its key ally.

By comparing Kosovo’s support for the U.S. to Bulgaria’s switch of sides in 1944, he attempts to sow doubt among the Serbian and international public about the stability of the strategic partnership between Prishtina and Washington.

Vulin’s statement was also circulated by other Serbian media outlets, such as “RTVPancevo.rs”, “Kurir.rs”, “Naslovi.net”.

The Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, in an interview with RTK, discussed the approach of former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama toward Kosovo. According to him, their policies placed Kosovo in a disadvantageous position relative to Serbia, adding that they supported the establishment of the Special Court, which deals with alleged crimes committed by former KLA leaders.

“And to be honest, during that time, several issues pushed by Serbia occurred, which severely damaged Kosovo’s reputation and statehood, for example, the Special Court. I don’t believe the Special Court would have been established if only the European Union had been behind it. I can guarantee that it wouldn’t have happened. We would’ve been united here, with PDK, LDK, Vetëvendosje, and everyone, and it wouldn’t have happened,” Konjufca stated.

Richard Grenell, the special envoy of President Trump for special missions, responded to Konjufca’s statements, noting that they had governed for four years without criticizing Biden. “They spent the last 4 years complimenting Joe Biden and attending his conventions and parties. Why didn’t they ever complain before?” Grenell wrote.

In the debate surrounding Kosovo-U.S. relations, the Washington Agreement on the normalization of economic relations between Kosovo and Serbia is frequently mentioned. It was signed on September 4, 2020, at the White House by Kosovo’s then-Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbia’s current President Aleksandar Vucic. Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, addressed this agreement in an interview with the Spanish newspaper “El Mundo”.

Grenell has consistently been critical of the current government, dating back to his time as the U.S. envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021. Under his mediation, Kosovo and Serbia signed an agreement for economic normalization. This took place during Avdullah Hoti’s government, after LDK exited the coalition with Vetëvendosje. At the time, Kurti and Vetëvendosje blamed Grenell for the fall of their government.

Despite his past criticisms of the Washington Agreement, Kurti now states that it has contributed to regional stability.

“Kosovo maintains a strong bilateral relationship with the United States, based on its continued commitment to our sovereignty and our integration into the EU and NATO. During Trump’s first term, economic agreements between Kosovo and Serbia were prioritized to promote stability, while the Biden Administration has strengthened democratic institutions in the Balkans. Although these differences reflect changes in approach, I don’t believe the United States will alter its stance toward Kosovo. We work closely with Washington,” Kurti stated.

The agreement outlined several provisions, ranging from the establishment of air and rail links between Kosovo and Serbia to the recognition of Kosovo by Israel. While Kosovo’s recognition by Israel has been fulfilled, other points remain unimplemented.

Despite U.S. officials’ criticisms of certain government decisions primarily related to the Serb-populated north, relations between Kosovo and the United States have historically been close, grounded in Washington’s strong support for Kosovo’s independence, democratic development, and security.

Efforts to undermine Kosovo-U.S. relations through misinformation are not new but tend to intensify during key political moments. Serbian officials often exploit changes in administration in Washington to sow uncertainty about the future of American support for Kosovo.

*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”