Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko has said he strongly supports Ukraine’s recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, revealing that he has also sponsored a bill on the issue in the Ukrainian parliament.
In an interview with KosovaPress, Goncharenko commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s position, who during his visit to Serbia said that Kyiv’s stance on Kosovo remains unchanged.
“I am a strong supporter of Ukraine recognizing Kosovo as an independent state. I sponsored a bill on this issue in the Ukrainian parliament. Unfortunately, President Zelensky has a different position. Also, the situation is quite complicated for us now, in the middle of the war. It would have been better to do this before the full-scale invasion began, because now every step Ukraine takes is also assessed in terms of how it will affect our situation, which is very difficult,” he said.
Goncharenko praised the support Kosovo and its citizens have provided to Ukraine, saying that the two peoples understand each other because of the tragic experiences they have gone through.
He said Russia poses the same threat in the Western Balkans, using Serbian marginal groups.
According to him, Ukraine and Kosovo should have a serious partnership.
“Of course, we know that the people of Kosovo support Ukraine and that Ukrainian refugees have been in Kosovo. In general, I think Ukrainians, unfortunately, together with the people of Kosovo, understand better than anyone else in Europe today what genocide is, because the people of Kosovo have gone through it, while Ukrainians are experiencing it. Therefore, we understand each other very well. This is the same threat Russia poses to Ukraine. It is the same threat Russia uses to influence the Balkans and wants to set the region on fire by using some marginal Serbian groups. We have a lot in common in our history, unfortunately in our tragic and recent history. I think Ukraine and Kosovo should have a very serious partnership,” he said.
The Ukrainian MP said Ukraine should also communicate with Serbia, but criticized Belgrade’s close ties with Moscow, expressing hope that Serbia would one day stop supporting Russia.
Goncharenko also commented on Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama’s removal of the Ukrainian flag from a public space in Pristina following Zelensky’s remarks, describing it as a mistake.
According to him, the Ukrainian flag represents support for the people of Ukraine, not for a particular president.
A few days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to Belgrade, said that Ukraine’s position on Kosovo remains unchanged, while thanking Serbia for its position on Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“We respect the territorial integrity of our partners and international law. As for Kosovo, our position remains unchanged. We are grateful to Serbia for respecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, including Crimea,” Zelensky said during a press conference in Belgrade alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
