Sanctions to break ties with Russia
Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia’s president, found himself between a rock and a hard place a few months ago: the rallies of the domestic liberal opposition have continued in the country for eleven weeks already, and the new negotiation on the Kosovo crisis reached its peak this summer.
The current Kosovo process is a lot more than just a confrontation between Pristina and Belgrade regarding the territorial dispute: these days, it is the only path towards integrating the Western Balkans, a huge region, into the EU and NATO, a topic that became especially relevant after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had started. The negotiations on the status of Kosovo would be a risky venture for any Serbian political leader, and Vučić is very much aware of that.
However, the West, which is actively involved in the Kosovo process, does not always act the way Vučić expects. The US imposed personal sanctions against Aleksandar Vulin, a close associate of Vučić, on 11 July, which was an unexpected move for Serbia’s leadership.
Vulin is currently in charge of Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency, and held the position of Defence Minister and Interior Minister in the past. He is also believed to be Vučić’s right-hand man in many domains. He is not popular with the general public, but represents the president on various private matters.