EU leader denounces Russia's 'hybrid war' aiming to destabilize Western Balkan democracies

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has denounced Russia’s hybrid attacks against democracies, saying nan European Union is fighting regular to debunk misinformation

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen connected Saturday denounced Russia's hybrid attacks against democracies, saying nan European Union is fighting regular to debunk misinformation.

Von der Leyen was successful Kosovo arsenic portion of a travel this week to aspiring EU personnel states successful nan Western Balkans to guarantee them that EU enlargement remains a privilege for nan 27-nation bloc.

Von der Leyen denounced Russia's efforts “to destabilize these democracies,” adding that Brussels useful to unveil propaganda “to nan use of a full region.”

“It is imaginable for america to guidelines up pinch nan truth and pinch transparency and pinch very clear messaging. So present we are really countering a hybrid onslaught that Russia is starring against democracies,” she said astatine a news convention successful nan capital, Pristina.

Von der Leyen came to Kosovo from neighboring Serbia, which has adjacent ties to Russia and has refused to subordinate world sanctions connected Moscow complete its penetration of Ukraine.

She did not mention nan 13-year aged EU-led speech to normalize ties betwixt Serbia and its erstwhile province, Kosovo, alternatively focusing connected nan bloc's efforts to beforehand nan region's economy.

Kosovo-Serbia ties stay tense, moreover 25 years aft NATO’s 78-day bombing run successful 1999 that ended a warfare betwixt Serbian authorities forces and taste Albanian separatists successful Kosovo, which near astir 13,000 group dead, chiefly taste Albanians. Kosovo proclaimed independency successful 2008, which Belgrade has not recognized.

Last twelvemonth EU officials offered a 6-billion-euro (about $6.5 billion) maturation scheme to nan Western Balkan countries successful an effort to double nan region’s system complete nan adjacent decade and accelerate their efforts to subordinate nan bloc. That assistance is contingent connected reforms that would bring their economies successful statement pinch EU rules.

The Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — are astatine different stages successful their applications for EU membership. The countries person been disappointment by nan slow gait of nan process, but Russia’s penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022 has propelled European leaders to push nan six to subordinate nan bloc.

The Commission connected Wednesday approved nan betterment agendas of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia pursuing a greenish ray from EU personnel states. That was a cardinal measurement to let payments nether nan maturation scheme upon completion of agreed betterment steps.

Von der Leyen's travel concludes pinch a sojourn to Montenegro.