Serbia president Vucic to seek EU membership guarantees in any Kosovo deal

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he would seek a guarantee the country would join the European Union in 2025 as part of any deal with Kosovo. The agreement would pave the way for both states to join the bloc. Serbia and Kosovo committed to an EU-mediated dialogue to improve relations and resolve all outstanding issues between them in 2013, but little progress has been made since then. “If we ever reach an agreement [with Pristina], Serbia would need to get clear guarantees that it would become EU member state in 2025,” Vucic told Reuters on Thursday. Serbia has not recognized the independence of its province.