{"id":5017,"date":"2026-08-11T10:20:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T10:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/zelensky-trapped\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T10:00:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T10:00:28","slug":"zelensky-trapped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/en\/zelensky-trapped\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelensky Trapped"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The Ukrainian President’s visit to Serbia, including the announcement that he does not intend to recognize Kosovo, will prove to be a strategic mistake in the long run. By Rainhard Kloucek<\/em><\/p>\n

Many experts did not believe Volodymyr Zelensky was capable of holding the office of President. When Putin attacked Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian President demonstrated leadership with his statement: I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition. Western intelligence services had offered to get Zelensky out of Ukraine. He remained in the country to defend his homeland.<\/p>\n

Many critics subsequently set aside their initial skepticism toward Zelensky, praising his consistent and strong presence on the stage of world politics along with his clear messaging.<\/p>\n

However, his recent appearance with Serbian dictator Aleksandar Vucic is likely to turn out to be a serious mistake. Even before this, it was unclear why he dismissed the popular and highly effective Defense Minister (and other ministers) Fedorov.<\/p>\n

To be sure, Ukraine needs ammunition, and Serbia can supply it. But these are not gifts from Belgrade; good money is being paid for them. Serbia is Moscow’s closest ally in the Balkans, and the majority of the population is pro-Russian. The media landscape is clearly oriented toward the Kremlin. Lest we forget: during Moscow’s war of annihilation against Ukraine in February 2022, Serbian media reported that Ukraine had invaded Russia.<\/p>\n

The situation in Kosovo is different. The small country has positioned itself clearly pro-Western, supports the sanctions against Moscow, and knows from its own struggle for freedom what it means when a colonial ruler believes they have the right to dominate the country as a colony.<\/p>\n

Ukraine has not recognized the independence of Kosovo. This was a relic of Moscow’s dominance and\u2014understandably\u2014was not at the top of the list during the war. However, it would have been a good sign of breaking away from the Moscow school of thought.<\/p>\n

Now, during a visit with Vucic, Zelensky has declared that Kosovo is part of Serbia and that Ukraine will not recognize its independence. In doing so, he has rhetorically placed himself on the side of the aggressor.<\/p>\n

Of course, we can only speculate so far as to the Ukrainian President’s motivation for this explicit statement. The realpolitik necessity of procuring ammunition could be one such motivation. But was a clear statement against Kosovo necessary for that?<\/p>\n

There is also speculation that Zelensky expects Vucic to be able to persuade Putin to agree to a ceasefire, in order to reach talks to end the war, or at least to freeze it. Even if there is something to that, even if it were actually possible for Vucic to persuade the tyrant of Moscow (in fact, there are many more good reasons against this assumption than for it) to agree to a ceasefire: why this clear positioning in favor of the aggressor in Kosovo?<\/p>\n

For Vucic, the situation is clear. He legitimizes his aggression against Kosovo with the support of the victim of aggression in Russia’s war against Ukraine. He can suddenly act as if he were on the side of the defender of freedom. He can thus continue to pursue his balancing act. In the West, many supporters of Ukraine will begin to doubt the Ukrainian President’s commitment to a truly European policy. If he makes such a pivot toward a clearly pro-Russian stance in the Balkans, what else must we expect from Zelensky?<\/p>\n

Of course, Europe must continue to support Ukraine. This is not about the opaque maneuvers of a president. It is about the freedom of Ukrainians and the freedom of the rest of Europe.<\/p>\n

Ukrainian diplomacy should move quickly to provide clarification here.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ukrainian President’s visit to Serbia, including the announcement that he does not intend to recognize Kosovo, will prove to be a strategic mistake in the long run. 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