Leverage Moscow: Vucic and Eu Opposition

leverage moscow: Vucic is looking to leverage Moscow's backing in striking a deal to normalize ties with Kosovo, one of the biggest hurdles to both countries' EU membership aspirations. ; Vucic said he didn't believe that an agreement with Kosovo was close, and Russia would have to sign off on any deal, sending a signal that he doesn't accept EU opposition to a proposal for the neighbors to redraw their borders, according to The Japan Times. European leaders fear new demarcations could incite similar demands across the region and trigger the kind of ethnic strife that killed more than 100,000 people during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia. President Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party, which is itself facing anti-government protests, mobilized thousands of its members in the capital Thursday to show support for the Russian leader. Putin, who has drawn criticism for stoking strife in Ukraine and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, said authorities in Kosovo had made a series of provocative steps that have seriously aggravated the situation. Russia fully shares the concern of the Serbian leadership, Putin said at a news conference with Vucic. In particular, Kosovo's plans to form an army would violate a United Nations resolution that allows only international forces on its territory, he said. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.