▶ 0:05:25You are
▶ 0:11:05Heat. Heat.
▶ 0:12:06Hey, how are you?
▶ 0:14:04the subcommittee on Europe. will come to The goal of this hearing is to promote balance in the Balkans. It is my hope that perhaps members on both sides of the aisle can agree on the common goal of serving US interest as we seek to promote balance in this region, prosperity for its citizens, and deterrence of future conflicts.
▶ 0:14:29Excluding Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Western Balkans remains the most unstable region in Europe. Although open conflict has subsided since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, centuries of ethnic division, shifting borders, and political mistrust continue to haunt this neighborhood as various political crises threaten the post Yugoslav order.
▶ 0:14:53Case in point, Serbia's unresolved relationship with Kosovo is one of the core drivers of re regional instability that that has created a strategic fault line that enables Russia's ability to undermine the EU and NATO's ability to empower the Balkan countries. The 2023 O-rid agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, intended to deescalate immediate tensions and revive past agreements, has stagnated.
▶ 0:15:23Kosovo's election crisis has exacerbated this situation as a result of the republic's failure to form a government following its February 25 election, causing Kosovo's current preparation for another snap election on December 28th. Following the election, if Kosovo forms a government, it is my sincere hope that Serbia will finally recognize Kosovo sovereignty.
▶ 0:15:48The rapidly deteriorating situation in Bosnia has led to an exponential increase of the use of legally questionable bond powers by the high representative. This unchecked authority, which enables the high representative to strike or impose legislation and remove officials from office, was dormant from 2014 to 2021. But in recent years, their use has surged significantly.
▶ 0:16:13The United States has long supported efforts to build an independent and credible judiciary in Albania. After 10 years of implementation, however, it is appropriate to re-examine whether justice reform is functioning as intended and delivering impartial justice for the Albanian people.
▶ 0:16:31It should be concerning to all that the national case backlog has expanded from rough roughly 16,000 cases at the start of the reform to an estimated 200,000 today, leaving citizens waiting 8 to 15 years to receive a final ruling. Such delays under undermine the rule of law, public trust and due process. Daily life in the Western Balkans is marked by both a declining and aging population.
▶ 0:16:59Like many other parts of Europe, there is an exodus of those who are skilled and educated. Ille illegal immigration is rampant. Unemployment and poverty rates are rising dramatically. These factors are negatively impacting the rule of law, promoting organized crime, money laundering, and corruption. Perhaps the most persistent and pressing challenge continues to be the region's deeply rooted ethnoreigious divisions.
▶ 0:17:26In Bosnia, some observers believe that the Dayton Peace Accord's political system is exacerbating the ethnic divides as opposed to their intended role of bridging the gap. Neighboring Kosovo, on the other hand, has in place specific protections for minorities that exceed those of its EU counterparts. Kosovo fears Serbian leverage in the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, the so-called ASM, and has not fully implemented ASM policies.
▶ 0:17:55Just across the border in southern uh Serbia, widespread reports of pacivation of the Presevo Valley are well documented by multiple sources, claiming that there is a concerted effort underway to rid the valley of ethnic Albanians. Indeed, America's adversaries are actively exploiting vulnerabilities like pacivation while engaging in hybrid warfare that is adding to the instability of the region.
▶ 0:18:21The Chinese Communist Party has exerted its influence by conducting military drills and sending weapons to Serbia. In addition, the CCP continues to strike economic deals across the region as part of a specific effort to cultivate its malign apparatus and exploit corruption in the Western Balkans.
▶ 0:18:40Iranian state cyber actors known as Homeland Justice have repeatedly launched cyber attacks Albania for hosting dissident of the In fact, an attack last summer temporarily paralyzed the municipal services of Albania's capital city, Toronto. I also want to make a brief moment to congratulate the people of Albania on their recent Independence Day and reaffirm our strong partnership anchored in shared values and our NATO alliance.
▶ 0:19:09Russia is also influencing growing tensions through Bosnia's Republica, Serbska, and Serbia. Miller Dodic, who is barred from running from public office of RS, continues to leverage his political capital to control the Bosnian Serb entity and to play to Russia's heavy-handed tactics like threatening secession from Bosnia.
▶ 0:19:31Whereas Serbia, despite indirectly supplying weapons to Ukraine, also has defense ties with Russia and in China, promotes Russian and Chinese propaganda, reportedly hosted Russian operatives training paramilitary groups in eastern Serbia to disrupt Muldova's 2024 and 2025 elections. Though partially explained by perceived cultural ties, Serbia's alignment with Russia cannot be separated from its energy dependence. with a majority of its gas supplied by Russia.
▶ 0:20:00Any effort to curb Moscow's political influence must address Serbia's reliance on NIS and gasp prom. In the event of renewed conflict, NATO allies Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia would be directly in the crosshairs, potentially triggering article 5 authority. Through synchronized defense efforts, NATO countries in the Balkans should work together to build military and political deterrence.
▶ 0:20:25Kosovo would be perfect particularly expos exposed without NATO membership which remains blocked by Spain, Greece, Romania and Slovakia's refusal to recognize its independence. Despite these challenges, opportunities to improve stability, peace, and prosperity in the eastern Balkans remain. Eight of my 25 years in the United States Army were spent serving in Europe. Five of those years at the strate strategic headquarters of NATO and the US European Command.
▶ 0:20:54During that time, I was intimately involved in NATO's Operation Allied Force in 1999. I have firsthand experience helping ensure peace and stability in this important region. Yet all those years later, the Western Balkans remain a tinder box without a change in strategy. US leadership must have must have a significant impact on maintaining stability and preventing renewed conflict that would adversely impact the balance of power in Europe.
▶ 0:21:24I applaud the Trump administration for re-engaging this often overlooked region. This subcommittee now has the opportunity to provide meaningful oversight and consider how Congress can help promote lasting stability, peace, and prosperity in the Western Balkans. And I yield to the ranking member.
▶ 0:21:43Thank you, Mr. Chair. 30 years ago, the United States brokered the Dayton Peace Accords, ending the bloodshed of the Bosnian War. And I appreciate the subcommittee's focus on the Western Balkans in such an important As we know, Dayton continues to underpin Bosnia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multithnic character. And I believe the US must continue to support it as an important instrument to supporting Bosnia's future.
▶ 0:22:12This includes the OHR, the office of the high representative. Uh, and while the OR deserves criticism, the removal or weakening of this position would only embolden separatist actors across Bosnia at a time of increased tension and threats in the region.
▶ 0:22:31As a part of the efforts to maintain regional stability in September, I reintroduced the bipartisan Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act to codify sanctions of in the bad actors in the region and expand people and the people-to-people ties that exist. I'm hopeful this legislation will be incorporated into the upcoming Defense Authorization Act and I appreciate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers for their support.
▶ 0:22:58Unfortunately, officials in power in Bosnia continue to use their discontent with the decisions of OHR to stroke separatist rhetoric which undermines the Dayton accords. That's why I sent a letter recently to Secretary Rubio along with ranking member Meeks expressing our disagreement with the administration's decision to remove all sanctions on Miller Dodic, his family and his affiliates who have demonstrated little willingness to change their behavior
▶ 0:23:29in Republica By removing all sanctions on Dodic, the Trump administration has lost their Dodic may no longer be president of Republic of Serpska, but he's clearly still a power, and I urge this administration to reverse course and reinstate costs on Dodic for his ongoing disruptive behavior.
▶ 0:23:52Just as the Trump administration should be more engaged in supporting Dayton in Bosnia, I believe the administration must take a broader view of the bilateral relationship with Serbia. For years now, Serbia's president Vuchich has eroded the rule of law and strengthened his country's relationship with Russia and China.
▶ 0:24:10Rather than condemn Belgrade's actions, the Trump administration has embraced Vuch rewarded his malign relationships with beijing and Moscow by upgrading the US Serbia bilateral relationship.
▶ 0:24:24As a result, I led a letter with all Democratic members of this subcommittee earlier this year to Secretary Rubio calling on him to prioritize the strengthening of anti-corruption and rule of law regimes in Serbia, as well as make clear to Belgrade that pursuing closer ties with Moscow and Beijing is not compatible with Serbia's stated aspirations to be fully incorporated into the transatlantic community.
▶ 0:24:50Yet rather than take anti-corruption efforts seriously, this administration has used the White House to enrich its friends and families. Just last month, Serbian officials approved legislation to allow Jared Kushner to develop a former defense ministry building in Serbia into a hotel resort with Serbian parliamentarians opening openly saying they approved the legislation to make inroads with this US administration.
▶ 0:25:17I wholeheartedly condemn President Trump's family and friends using the White House to further their own private business dealings, not only in Serbia, but also in Russia and in crypto markets around the world. Taking a step back, I believe the resolution of many regional conflicts and increase US engagement in the Western Balkans would move all countries in the region closer to EU membership. This includes further progress in the EU broker dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.
▶ 0:25:46And I call on leaders in both countries to take the initiative and cease inflammatory rhetoric. I also call on the Trump administration to reassure allies and partners in the region that the US will remain engaged and committed to the region's future. This includes maintaining a US military presence in NATO's uh peacekeeping mission K4 and fully implementing the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in Kosovo to expand energy security.
▶ 0:26:13I was proud to facilitate the signing of that compact in this very room in 2022 and I appreciate the administration continuing the program. It also means the administration should continue to support cyber security efforts in Albania and elsewhere as well as ensure countries like Montenegro, North Macedonia and others are well prepared to join the European Union.
▶ 0:26:39In closing, I appreciate our witnesses being here today to discuss the importance of US engagement in the Western Balkans. Yet, I remain concerned this subcommittee has yet to have a hearing, any hearing with a Trump administration official after almost one year in office. And I'd urge the majority to call on the administration as witnesses before the sub commmittee so we can conduct the subcommittee's oversight responsibilities of this administration's policy uh towards Europe uh is a unity.
▶ 0:27:10With that, I yield
▶ 0:27:12Uh thank you. Two other members of the committee are reminded that opening statements may be submitted for the record. Uh we're pleased to have a distinguished panel of witnesses before us today before on this important topic. Mr. Max Primarak is a senior research fellow at the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation covering Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Foreign Aid, and China's Belt and Road Initiative. Thank you. Mr. Dr.
▶ 0:27:39Luke Coffee is a senior fellow uh for the center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute. His work at the Hudson Institute analyzes national security and foreign policy with a focus on Europe, Eurasia, NATO, and transatlantic relations. Mr. Edward P. Joseph is a lecturer and senior fellow for the Merryill Center for Strategic Studies at the Foreign Policy Institute and John's Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.
▶ 0:28:09This committee recognizes the is the importance of the issues before us today vitally important to Europe and we are grateful that you are here to speak to us today. Your full statements will be made a part of the record and I'll ask each of you to keep your remarks to five minutes in order to allow time for member questions. I now recognize Mr. Primarak for an opening statement. Welcome, sir.
▶ 0:28:35Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The views I express here today are my own and should not be construed as representing any official position of the Heritage Foundation. The Balkans are not doing well. As we all know, 30 years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accord and billions of dollars in US uh aid spent, Bosnia is a failed state. Relations between its three constituent peoples, Serbs, Croats, and Muslims are riven with distrust. Its economy is broken.
▶ 0:29:04Its population is shrinking fast. The state is in permanent crisis. It is time to end this post-staton nation building disaster. Foremost, the country's national sovereignty must be restored by dissolving the office of the high representative who dismisses elected leaders, vetos legislation, and bans anyone he dislikes.
▶ 0:29:25These unaccountable foreign bureaucrats undermine the sovereignty and legit legitimacy of the state, block its institutions from maturing and poison interethnic relations. Second, the State Department must end its effort to create a centralized Muslim dominant state that violates Dayton's guarantee of equality between Bosnia's three self-governing peoples and pushes Serbs to secede.
▶ 0:29:50Crowats suffer gross discrimination at the hands of a larger Muslim community and are denied the right to elect their own representatives, resulting in a 62% population decline. Only a third entity in majority Crowat areas will save this persecuted Christian community. But the region will not stabilize until Serbia's normalization.
▶ 0:30:14Serbia's leaders remain wedded to a pro-Russia agenda that stokes instability among its neighbors, especially Kosovo and Montenegro, and provides Moscow, Beijing, and ter and Tehran, opportunities to undermine NATO's southern flank. The regional answer is to pull Serbia in and push Russia, China, and Iran out. Only US leadership can do that. Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:30:42President Trump's peace through strength global leadership tied to practical diplomacy offers Serbia and the Balkans a historic path towards western integration. The president's dealmaking power elsewhere has not gone gone unnoticed. Serbia leaders seek President Trump's personal engagement in the region. Belgrade remembers how during his first term, Mr. Trump brokered peace between Serbia and pro- US Kosovo through trade and investment.
▶ 0:31:11President Trump should expand that dealmaking approach regionally. Two strategic developments in Europe make that prospect ripe. First is the dawn of American energy supremacy. US oil and gas can end Balkan energy reliance on Russia, defund Putin's war machine, and minimize Moscow's regional interference. The US government was right to sanction Serbia's Russianowned national oil and gas company.
▶ 0:31:41An expanded US-fed natural gas pipeline in Bosner Siggoina to fuel the Balkans is stalled by Muslim and transiggent in Sievo. Pipeline expansions through North Macedonia is delayed by the predations of its neighbors. Scopia. Scopia is a solid ally of the United States, recently joining us in supporting Israel and condemning the Cuban dictatorship. These represent unique opportunities to promote American energy dominance.
▶ 0:32:11The region also holds massive deposits of strategic minerals to offer the West relief from Chinese blackmail. Second, NATO's agreement to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP includes enhancing These offer the Balkans billions in investment opportunities, especially for American energy, equity, and construction companies.
▶ 0:32:36Next April's 3C's initiative hosted by Croatia presents a global forum to strike regional deals. Mr. Chairman, we must not restart past foreign aid programs that promoted social re-engineering, climate madness, and other left-wing agendas that have generated anti-American sentiment.
▶ 0:32:56Finally, the White House should assign political ambassadors to the Balkans to promote a business focused agenda, but be ready to use visa, banking, and other sanctions alongside commercial and investment incentives to pull the region out of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian hands. To conclude, we must stop what we have been doing in the Balkans. Our foreign aid-based anti-soververeignty approach has failed.
▶ 0:33:22Instead, we should encourage American leadership to offer the Balkans a grand investmentbased bargain that locks the region into the West and locks out our adversaries. Thank you.
▶ 0:33:35Uh thank you. I now recognize Mr. Coffee for an opening statement. Welcome, Chairman Self, Ranking Member Keiting, and distinguished members of the committee. I'm honored to speak before this committee today about the Western Balkans. The views I express in this testimony are my own and should not be construed as representing any official position of Hudson Institute. Mr. Chairman, I will summarize my prepared statement that has been submitted for the record. To understand why the US should care about the Balkans, it is important to first understand why Europe matters.
▶ 0:34:05Maybe Asia is the future. I don't know. But what I do know is that right now half of the world's GDP is located between North America and Europe. What I do know is that right now 46 out of 50 states export more to Europe than they do to China. And American exports mean American jobs. The economic prosperity that we rely on is dependent on the continent's stability.
▶ 0:34:29And history tells us very clearly that instability in the Balkans creates instability and security issues across the rest of Europe. The situation in the Balkans affects other interests too, including Ukraine. The number one US priority in Europe right now should be ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a way that makes the transatlantic community safer. This requires unity.
▶ 0:34:54Meanwhile, Russia sees the Balkans as an area to create instability and to divide the transatlantic alliance. In this context, Serbia remains Russia's enabler and serves as Moscow's primary foothold in the region. While Serbia occasionally si signals a balanced foreign policy approach, the reality is that Belgrade remains firmly in Russia's orbit. This will not change anytime soon, no matter how much we would like it to.
▶ 0:35:21The Kremlin also uses the ethnic serve entity of Republic of Spertzka in Bosnian and Herzgovenia to sew further instability in the region. The situation in Bosnia and her in Herzgovenia deserves particular attention for US policymakers. Miller Dodic, the longtime leader of the region, was recently removed from office by the Bosnian courts, but he remains very influential and continues to advocate for the entity's succession from the rest of Bosnia, reigniting Serb nationalist goals from the Bosnian war.
▶ 0:35:52During his two decades in power, Dodic took steps to undermine Bosnian and Herszkovvenia's legitimate state structures by creating parallel institutions inside Republic of Spurs. Throughout this, this was supported by Russia and also by Serbia. Dodic was sanctioned during the first Trump administration for, and I quote, obstructing the Dayton Accords. These sanctions lasted for the duration of the first Trump administration and throughout Biden's administration.
▶ 0:36:19However, last October, the US Treasury unexpectedly removed Dodic and his network from sanctions. An action that appeared out of the blue, unanchored to any broader US strategy strategy towards the Balkans and without clarity on what if anything we got in return for this measure.
▶ 0:36:38From the standpoint of US interests, this matters because political stability matters in Bosnia and Herzgovenia and the political stability in that country has a major effect on the overall stability of the Balkans and thus on Europe's overall security architecture. It is worth recalling that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Dayton agreement.
▶ 0:36:59Not only did it end genocide and prevent any renewed outbreak of fighting for more than 30 years, it also kept Bosnian and Hersvenia as a single state at a time when breakup seemed likely. Although it is still a outside view in many policy circles, the idea of scrapping Dayton altogether is gaining traction. The Dayton agreement is not perfect, but it has been one of the greatest diplomatic achievements by the United States in the postcold war era.
▶ 0:37:28And even with the problems that we see in Bosnia today, they're not killing each other and there's no genocide taking place. Scrapping the agreement would likely create inst more instability than exists today. At a moment when the United States and its European allies should be focused on maintaining unity over Ukraine and limiting Moscow's ability to manufacture crisis elsewhere in Europe. In conclusion, Mr.
▶ 0:37:51Chairman, although the US is not a Balkan country, it can certainly be a Balkan power, and President Trump should take steps to ensure America's national interests are secure there. Fortunately, he has a lot to build on from his first term. He led calls for the 3C's initiative, which is now active today. He led calls for the construction of the LG terminal in Croatia, which now brings in more American LG than from any other source.
▶ 0:38:17He uh brought in Montenegro into NATO, oversaw the Washington agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, and the Prespa agreement between Greece and Macedonia. Now back in the Oval Office, President Trump has made global diplomacy and ending wars a central theme of his second term, the Balkans should stay on his radar. To this end, I refer honorable members to the 10 recommendations I offer in my prepared statement, and I look forward to your questions. Thank you.
▶ 0:38:45Uh thank you. I now recognize Mr. Joseph for an opening statement.
▶ 0:38:51Keating, distinguished members of the subcommittee on Europe, [clears throat] thank you for this opportunity to examine flash points in the Balkans and to discuss how the US can seize a rare opportunity for a breakthrough towards lasting stability. Mr. Chairman, the fact that the subcommittee must hold today's timely and important hearing 35 years after the violent break up of Yugoslavia began raises one overarching question.
▶ 0:39:19Why is this region in which the US, EU, and NATO hold commanding leverage still unstable? While no single actor, local or international, is wholly responsible for persistent tensions and malaise, one prerequisite for stability remains Serbia's acceptance of the western order for the region.
▶ 0:39:39The US and allied struggle against malign Russian and Chinese influence in the Balkans will not prevail as long as those revisionist powers have a revisionist quote strategic partner unquote in Belgrade. The moment for change has arrived with an administration imposed deadline looming for the Russian owners to exit Serbia's national oil company Nice. The US embassy charge in Belgrade stated this last week.
▶ 0:40:05When it comes to choosing its partners, Russia and China or the Euro Atlantic community, quote, "Serbia is at the crossroads and so is the United States. Now is the moment to stand firm, moving Bgrade towards finally deciding its strategic orientation.
▶ 0:40:24Choosing the Euro Atlantic path, the only rational one for Serbia, which cannot become the Bellarus of the Balkans, will end the manipulation of Western partners who want to see Serbia succeed. A decisive choice will open the path to prosperity and comedy that Serbians and their neighbors deserve. Fortunately, the administration is in a strong position to guide Belgrade in this direction.
▶ 0:40:49the year-long mass protests by Serbian citizens demanding government accountability in the wake of the fatal collapse at the Novvisad train station in 2024 which as the subcommittee knows part of China's belt and road strategy which US officials in Belgrade should point out this collapse and protests have removed the aura of invincibility and fear of the government led by Serbian President Alexander Vhuch.
▶ 0:41:14Instead, anxiety has shifted, evidenced by attacks on journalists, protesters, and violence and intimidation of voters at recent local elections. While the government avoids the obvious solution, which is to hold national elections, as the EU has learned the hard way, the VH government is also struggling to deliver on its commitments.
▶ 0:41:36Last week, Riotinto, the concessionaire on the Bali Hood lithium strategic partnership that Brussels and Belgrade signed last year, sheld the project because it cannot get permitting for the mine that is siphoning capital. The ability of the Serbian government to deliver on its commitment to demolish the general staff and Ministry of Defense building, part of the Trump branded hotel project in downtown Bgrade, is in doubt.
▶ 0:42:03Given the broad spectrum of opposition and the heritage of the building stretching back well before the 1999 NATO strike on the site. Mr. Chairman, ranking member and distinguished committee members, the path to finally achieving lasting stability runs through Belgrade, not via routine supplication of the government, but a firm hand and genuine partnership. What does that mean concretely? First, the US must not fall for Russian or Serbian poe to buy time on exiting Nice.
▶ 0:42:33Members should support the administration moving Belgrade swiftly towards nationalizing Nice, recovering the national oil company that was sold for a song to Moscow in 2008. The US should support Belgrade by devising counter measures to dissuade Moscow from cutting off gas or hiking uh prices such as immediate closure of Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik now hosted by Serbia in defiance of EU sanctions, imposition of EU sanctions on Russia
▶ 0:43:04as Serbia has refused to impose in contrast to all its WB6 neighbors and closure of the Russian humanitarian center in the south of Serbia widely suspected. as an intelligence gathering site. Second, the US can break co Belgrade's destructive relationship with Russian co co and China by tackling the standoff with Kosovo and I should mention Serbia's relationship with other malign actors that include in this hemisphere The ultimate answer is not
▶ 0:43:34the EUled dialogue but a path to NATO membership uh for pristine and Belgrade. President Trump is well placed to make this historic transformative offer. In the meantime, the US must depart from the imbalanced stance towards Belgrade and Christina where only the latter is held accountable for provocations.
▶ 0:43:54This has uh this disparity has coincided with flare-ups including the 2023 Bonsa operation in the north of Kosovo and incidents continue including the recent alleged abduction of a Kosovo Serb citizen from Kosovo. actively advancing the strategic dialogue with Serbia while suspending the same with Kosovo is ignoring the lessons of the recent past.
▶ 0:44:16The US can build deterrence by building up its bilateral relationship with Kosovo, especially as Serbia increases its defense relationship with China, underscored by the drills Serbian troops conducted in China this summer. Third, seize the best opportunity in years to break the atrophy in Bazi Herzuggovena created by the removal of Miller Dodic from the presidency of Republic of Serbska.
▶ 0:44:41Unfortunately, the hasty removal of sanctions on Dodic has brought the administration more work and less leverage. The initial breakthrough last week on the southern interconnector is [clears throat] proof that active created US engagement can work.
▶ 0:44:58The Trump administration is well placed to collaborate with the international high representative to break the seminal dispute on state and defense property unleashing opportunities for US investors and Bosnian citizens. Washington can address the other bully in the region, Bulgaria, by backing Macedonian efforts for a reasonable guarantee that Scopia will not be subject to more identity demands from Sophia.
▶ 0:45:22The US must ensure that the Vimroled government adheres to the most successful peace agreement in the region, the Oakrid framework agreement. Finally, active American engagement, not nation building, can help NATO allies Albania and Montenegro advance on their EU path, giving them the internal monitoring and external protection that they need. This includes focusing on the backsliding judiciary and arrests of opposition figures in Albania and focusing on interference from uh Belgrade in Montenegro.
▶ 0:45:52In conclusion, by seizing the moment, the US and its partners can move from suppressing flash points towards long overdue stability and prosperity. Thank you very much for your attention. I'm at your disposal for any questions.
▶ 0:46:05Uh thank you. I should have announced Mr. Mr. Joseph had asked for a couple of extra minutes and in agreement with the ranking member uh he received them. So I now recognize myself for five minutes of questioning. Uh Mr. Joseph I want to start with two quotes from Serbia's First from the preamble of the 2006 constitution of the Republic of Serbia, considering also that the province of Kosovo and Metahia is an integral part of the territory of Serbia, that it has the status of
▶ 0:46:35a substantial autonomy within the sovereign state of Serbia, and that from such status of the province of Kosovo and Metahia follow constitutional obligations of all state bodies to uphold and protect the state interest of Serbia in Kosovo and in all internal and foreign political relations. Then article 114 of the Serbian constitution which is while assuming office the president of the republic shall take the following oath before the national assembly.
▶ 0:47:04I do solemnly swear that I will devote all of my efforts to preserve the sovereignty and integrity of the territory of the Republic of Serbia, including Kosovo and Metahia as its constituent part, as well as to provide exercise of human and minority rights and freedoms, respect and protection of the constitution and laws, preservation of peace and welfare of all citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and perform all my duties conscientiously and responsibly. Mr.
▶ 0:47:30Joseph, does Serbia recognize Kosovo's right to exist as a sovereign nation? Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman. Uh the answer to that is clearly no. Uh Serbia does not recognize uh Kosovo's right to exist, nor does it recognize the significance of the 2010 decision uh an opinion rendered by the International Court of Justice in the HEG brought by Serbia through the United Nations.
▶ 0:48:01And that uh opinion of the ICJ said that Kosovo's declaration of independence violates neither international law nor the UN Security Council resolution 1244. Nonetheless, Serbia clings to its position, claims that uh that uh decision doesn't recognize Koso's statehood. However, Belgrade doesn't take the obvious course, does not take its claim on statehood to to the HEG.
▶ 0:48:28Uh in my opinion, the reason why not is because uh Belgrade knows that it would lose in that in that case.
▶ 0:48:34Just a reminder of the timeline, 1999, the US attacked Yugoslavia, still Yugoslavia at that point. 2006 was the Serbia Constitution ratified. 2008, Kosovo declared independence and the United States recognized Kosovo. 2013, the ASM was started. 2023 was the ordered agreement. So that's the timeline that we're working on of the stagnation. Uh so Mr. Joseph, one more question for you.
▶ 0:49:03Uh in on June 13th, you published an article uh titled the United States is creating a Kosovo crisis. In it, you said Biden administration officials are as dogmatic as the Kosovo prime minister who has attracted Western. What do you mean by dogmatic and who were you referring to?
▶ 0:49:22Uh thank you for the question, uh Mr. Chairman. The uh irony of the Biden administration policy was when it came into office, there was great fear in Belgrade that it would depart from the posture of the prior administration that is the first uh Trump administration. And instead what we saw was continuity.
▶ 0:49:44We saw continuity of in the Biden administration from the first Trump administration which uh to sum it up was excessive difference to Belgrade and that excessive difference led to the flash points the very flash points that this hearing talks about most notably the Bonsa operation very serious operation uh uh by the paramilitaries in the north of Kosovo very likely a serious violation of Belgrade commitment
▶ 0:50:14to uh NATO and this followed this followed the as I've referenced this imbalanced approach only holding Christina accountable and not holding Belgrade. Thank you sir.
▶ 0:50:26Thank you sir. Mr. Per Primarak uh how has Kosovo's election crisis impeded our relationship with Kosovo and with the EU and what do we need to reestablish the productive strategic
▶ 0:50:41Mr. Chairman, I think at the end of this month, there's going to be new new elections in Kosovo and I think the stakes are very high as to the results of that election. U right now the youth of Kosovo are leaving in large numbers. Um it's it's a country where it has enormous energy potential that could be beneficial for itself, the region, and also for for the United States. Uh this is a country that we need to support.
▶ 0:51:10Any grand deal that we do in the region, including Serbia, must include recognizing that country. It is a country that is 100% opposed to communist China, to Russia, to Tehran. Recently, they moved their embassy to Jerusalem, from Tel Aviv, a promise they made to President Trump, and a promise that they have kept. We're still waiting for Belgrade. Thank you.
▶ 0:51:35I now recognize Ranking Member Keating for five minutes.
▶ 0:51:38Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Joseph, how does the lifting of the sanctions on Dodic and his affiliates embolden him to remain in politics and continue to further Republica Serpska's secessionist inclinations?
▶ 0:51:52Uh, ranking member Keading, it does precisely that. uh by prematurely giving up our leverage over Dodic we uh incentivize this uh longstanding malifactor and ally of Russia open ally of Russia to continue his destabilizing activities which we see instead of stepping down as head now first uh having been banished as president Republic Ser Republic of Serpka he refuses to
▶ 0:52:23step down as head of the SNSD party as the central election commission an institution of the state of Bosnia herzavana uh has insisted. So the answer to your question is this provides exactly the wrong incentives, removes our uh leverage and makes it more difficult for the positive actions that the US embassy uh and the administration are trying to do to solve this southern interconnector impass
▶ 0:52:53which would relieve Basy's dependency on Russian gas. Thank you sir.
▶ 0:52:56Would you say too that same holds true for his family and affiliates? I would absolutely say that and and that's what was so surprising by this uh uh all at once uh decision. Uh I I simply don't understand. I've negotiated many agreements in the region. I negotiated agreement between uh Koso and Serbia to hold Serbian national elections in Kosovo. You never give up your leverage uh until necessary.
▶ 0:53:24Thank you Mr. Coffee. Thank you for your uh characterization in the beginning and your statements about Europe matters uh because I think that's that's really critical and it's one of the underpinnings of this particular hearing too uh as to why the Western Balkans matter. Uh you mentioned still the importance of the Dayton piece accords who would benefit if if that is you know disbanded and we move away from that.
▶ 0:53:51Thank you very much for that question. Before I answer this question, I want to put everything in the correct context and remind that I believe the number one priority for the United States right now in Europe is maintaining unity and stability so we can deal with what is the largest war on the continent since the 1940s.
▶ 0:54:12In that context, I think that disbanding, unwinding, um, tinkering, um, Dayton and its institutions, uh, is too much of a risky business which could have unpredictable outcomes that could create additional problems at a time when we don't need any. Um, there are, as you've heard from my fellow witnesses, there are uh issues with with Dayton.
▶ 0:54:41No one I don't think has said it's perfect. Um it's now 30 years old. Um things change, times change, you have different personalities coming in, personalities leaving. So the whole dynamic can change, but right now is not the time to have this discussion if you're looking at it purely from a US national interest point of view.
▶ 0:55:02Okay. Thank you so much. And Mr. Joseph, the Millennium Challenge Corporation's compact with Kosovo, it does continue to bring energy security and workforce development to Kosovo. Uh can you comment on the importance of diversifying away from coal and how the MCC compact facilitates this diversification and as well as uh US foreign assistance to Koso Kosovo vitally affecting Kosovo's ability to move forward in the future?
▶ 0:55:31How does the US foreign assistance in Kosovo facilitate regional stability as well as Kosovo's future in the EU and in NATO? Thank you uh Mr. Ranking member. Our continuing support for Kosovo uh economic and I would emphasize here military is essential for US interest.
▶ 0:55:51We have to remember that the United States and NATO are already have the obligation responsibility to care for Kosfo's security under uh K4 the the successful NATO peacekeeping force. So we already have that uh requirement and obligation.
▶ 0:56:09the more we can do uh to enable uh Kosovo's economic security and its military security by uh enhancing our bilateral relationship with Kosovo. It serves our own security interests. Let me quickly add here uh ranking member Keading that the solution here it doesn't this standoff is not this un intractctable uh problem uh going back to 1389 that no one can solve between Koso and Serbia.
▶ 0:56:39It has a solution and its name is NATO. uh a pathway only a pathway to NATO will effectively end the standoff because at that point Serbia will have no alternative its isolation campaign, its non-recognition campaign, its dependence on Russia and China at the UN Security Council will be meaningless. Why? Because NATO membership is vastly more important for uh Kosovo than is UN membership.
▶ 0:57:10Well, thank you for addressing K4's importance and I yield back.
▶ 0:57:15And now recognize uh Representative Davidson from Ohio.
▶ 0:57:20Uh thank you, Chairman. Uh Chairman Self, uh thanks for this hearing today. Uh I believe you and I may be the only two members in this subcommittee who served in Europe during our time in the army. So, thank you. And I like to think that we can say from firsthand experience how important uh Europe is to the United States and how important the security relationships are there. I was there in the Cold War holding the line when the cause of freedom uh led to the fall of Berlin Wall.
▶ 0:57:49I was there in 1989 uh and got to see kind of the culmination of a lot of this when the wall came down. I know uh what I was there fighting for, but I also know what I was fighting against. and that was totalitarianism. So we're seeing today um ideas that that we rejected during the Cold War being embraced by Western Europe. I often think about Vice President JD Vance's February speech in Munich.
▶ 0:58:16The Vice President noted that quote within living memory of many of you in the room, the Cold War positioned defenders of democracy against much more tyrannical forces on this continent. And consider the side in that fight that censored dissidents, that closed churches, that canceled elections. Were they the good guys? Certainly not. And thank God they lost the Cold War.
▶ 0:58:39They lost because they neither valued nor respected all of their extraordinary blessings of liberty, the freedom to surprise, to make mistakes, to invent, and to build. End quote. I worry that these core values that we fought for to win the Cold War are lost in the European Union and NATO today. I fear that totalitarianism has infiltrated the very institutions that we stood up to counter totalitarianism. When lawmakers are arrested for quoting the Bible.
▶ 0:59:10When political parties are banned despite their popularity with the public. When people are put in jail for free speech or for prayer. I mean, these aren't the things we were defending. They're not the things I think we're supposed to be defending today, but they're going on unchecked. So, it's time to fundamentally assess what Vice President Vance asked. What are we defending? What are we fighting for in Europe?
▶ 0:59:39Unfortunately, many in this uh many of these institutions are living in the past about a new reality. For example, in recent months, the Department of War elected not to send a rotational brigade to Romania. The Senate Armed Services Committee has responded to that in retaliation by blocking the president's nominees to the Department of War Policy Office, for example. So, Mr.
▶ 1:00:05Primarac, is Romania of vital national security interest to the United States? Will we will we be irreparably harmed by not sending this one rotational brigade there? Is this going to cause catastrophic damage to the United States security posture? I think when we're talking about lawfare in Europe, it's against conservatives and those who hold conservative views, especially religious views.
▶ 1:00:30And we've seen coming out of Brussels a tendency to try try to acquire more and more centralized power. And it always has a left-wing bias to it. And it's hurting all throughout all of Europe. uh with these kinds of activities by Brussels, it encourages uh politicians and government officials in places like France and Germany and Poland and other places to crack down on political opposition. So they use and it's the same thing with the disinformation campaigns with respect to to Russia.
▶ 1:00:59There's been disinformation campaigns by Russia for decades. Ever since the end of the cold war, it never maybe it stopped for about two years. It has continued forward. So what the administration is doing to send a clear message to uh to Europe that we value very strongly our transatlantic relationships but we have to have a common set of democratic values and that means accepting opposing uh uh opposing
▶ 1:01:24Part of that is putting pressure on the Europeans to step up and that's part of where the administration's policy prerogatives have said yeah we're going to withhold this rotational brigade. Unfortunately, within our own party, within Republican party in the Senate, the Senate Armed Services Committee is is up is denying approval uh to President Trump's team. So, I remember when Senator Tubberville had the courage to stand up and block nominees in the Biden administration because the Department of War was violating the law and funding abortion.
▶ 1:01:52a bipartisan coalition of senators descended on him uh to make his life really, you know, frankly a hell until he relented and and they came up with a different way to approve nominees. It was the biggest drama in the world. But now that the gloves on the other hand, blocking president, our president, President Trump's national security nominees seems not such a big deal to the Senate Armed Services Committee. So, I'd like to call the Senate to stop blocking the MAGA agenda and support our president and his appointments.
▶ 1:02:20and we can't do much about it here in the House, but I think I'd call it out. Uh so I I further commend President Trump and his team for their work in crafting a realistic peace deal in Ukraine. They've worked diligently on this and um I get that some people in the Senate want to undermine it. Frankly, some people in the House want to undermine it and certainly some people in the European Union and NATO want to undermine it. But I think we should all come together and as President Trump says, I want people to stop dying. So he's got a clear policy. He wants to put his team in place.
▶ 1:02:51I hope the Senate's going to move forward and do just that. So, Mr. Perrick, what policies can the State Department pursue to restore our values? Uh, my time has expired. I yield.
▶ 1:03:01I now represent uh recognize Representative Titus from Nevada for five minutes.
▶ 1:03:08Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I can get us back on topic here for a minute. Uh, just to kind of sumise uh what I've been hearing during this hearing. Since 2012, Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership.
▶ 1:03:21And despite making some initial progress towards that membership, it's now stalled because primarily there's been this unresolved dispute with Kosovo and secondarily a lack of any kind of anti-corruption or rule of law reforms and that's required for full membership. Uh, meantime, President Bhuch has pursued a multi-vector foreign policy, and I'm quoting there, which balances the US, the EU, China, and Russia.
▶ 1:03:51Now, he's claimed to be supportive of Ukraine, but he maintains a strong relationship with Putin, and he's even sent military personnel to train in China, and he's welcomed President Xi for a state visit. Despite this, the per Trump administration has pursued this strategic dialogue with Serbia, but it's been focused on business and energy and not on anti-corruption and the rule of law. And we heard, and I think I interpreted this right, Mr.
▶ 1:04:20Joseph, that having a strategic dialogue with Serbia without having one with Kosovo is just not going to work. It's we're missing a a key element here. So, I would ask you, Mr. coffee. Do you think this strategic dialogue brings Serbia closer to us and in our orbit or do you think it just emboldens Bgrade to uh now go and do whatever it wants to because they know Trump's not going to do anything about
▶ 1:04:46Thank you for the question. Uh I uh I shared the frustration that many have when it comes to our engagement with Serbia. We all I I I really believed Serbia's destiny is part of the Euro community. I just think we're years, if not decades, from that point. This doesn't mean we don't engage with them.
▶ 1:05:04We should engage with them whenever we can, but we should do so with our eyes wide open, and we shouldn't fall into this um this false sense of uh um uh optimism that if we just have one more trade deal, if we just have one more strategic dialogue, we could just make Serbia that much closer to the United States. And and you know, and one more point on on this matter, Serbia, the European Union is already Serbia's largest trading partner by far.
▶ 1:05:32I don't even think Russia makes it in the top 10. If it does, it's about number 10 or or 11. Um, but yet we we still can't get Serbia out of Russia's orbit. And this is because it's deeper than just trade deals. It's it's a it's a way of how politics are done, how society is organized. And we have a long way to go before that changes.
▶ 1:05:54Well, do you think uh the deal that was struck with Mr. Kushner to build a hotel and apartment complex in Bgrade that just last month the Serbian Parliament passed a law paving the way for this to be fasttracked? They called it a project of importance for the Republic of Serbia. Do you think that's the way to bring them closer to the US?
▶ 1:06:15Admittedly, this is an issue that is outside my purview as a scholar focused on Europe and Eurasia, but I would say generally speaking, in principle, it's something that does raise eyebrows.
▶ 1:06:28I'd say it was a question of the willingness to engage in corrupt behavior to attain certain personal ends as opposed to political ones. But Mr. uh Joseph, would you like to add to that? I uh thank you uh Representative Titus and I agree with the thrust of your question that it uh it's it's mistake and it's sending the wrong signal and ironically from a business standpoint.
▶ 1:06:52Uh it raises serious questions as I pointed out there are serious doubts whether the government of led by President Vuch can even deliver on this. As anyone who's been to that property, as I have, you see directly across the street is the main government building. And the opposition to this is broad and widespread. So, it's tailor made for further protest.
▶ 1:07:15And these devices, I believe, are not going to work to try to ram through and and circumvent the uh cultural heritage protection. um uh more widely on uh this question about whether Serbia is years away or closer. I actually believe it could be closer depending on the US policy and our approach. The the latest IRI poll surprisingly showed that Serbians are b are divided about evenly.
▶ 1:07:44In fact, there uh is a 50% of the Serbian public has a net favorable posture towards NATO than is uh the opposite. So, I think we're closer to that. And again, NATO's the solution. And I would just note here that the current Serbian ambassador to the United States, uh, Draen Chitanovatz, former minister of defense, had long proposed Serbia's at long and correctly proposed Serbia's membership to NATO.
▶ 1:08:14Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 1:08:16And now, represent uh recognize Representative Kim from California.
▶ 1:08:21Thank you, Chairman Self and Ranking Member Kitting for holding today's hearing. Thank you, witnesses, for joining us today. Uh Moscow maintains strong influence in the Balkans without needing to physically station large numbers of troops in the region and it operates through well-funded local partners who share Moscow's goals and manipulates the information space to carry out its objectives. I want to uh ask you Mr.
▶ 1:08:48Joseph um can you talk about to what extent the actors like um Miller Dodic the Orthodox Church and Russian linked paramilitaries enable Moscow to obstruct NATO integration the European Union progress and democratic reforms uh across the Balkans.
▶ 1:09:10Thank you Representative Kim. The record is littered with examples of how Miller Dodic has obstructed uh Bosnia Herzoga's pathway uh to NATO which it it has formally that is the formal position of Bosnia Herzuggo to join NATO.
▶ 1:09:29It formally has a membership action plan and there's been chronic efforts uh from Miller Dodic uh carrying out the agenda from uh Moscow to to obstruct that and to uh destabilize the country and halt its functioning and of course launch the secession of
▶ 1:09:47Can you also talk about the Russia's uh information warfare campaign and how that destabilizes the region? Uh, thank you, Representative Kim. And it's you're exactly right to broaden that question because it goes directly to Montenegro. Montenegro, a NATO ally.
▶ 1:10:04And very importantly, easy to overlook is how important it is that uh Montenegro join NATO, denying Russia a another a warm weather port on the Adriatic uh by that and and Montenegro stood up and denied Russia's uh uh demand for that and then later joined NATO and uh through its uh strategic partner, formal strategic partner Serbia, Russian narratives pollute Montenegro, creating division
▶ 1:10:35at the very time that this small uh Balkans country, less than a million people, has its best chance ever to join the European Union. Why? Because Belgrade does not want Montenegro to join the European Union.
▶ 1:10:49Thank you so much. You know, I want to transition to China. Uh over the last decade, the Chinese Communist Party has invested more than 30 billion euros in the Western Balkans with Serbia as the primary beneficiary financing highways and 5G networks on OPAC highinterest terms. Mr.
▶ 1:11:10Primarak, I want to ask you a question about uh how the Chinese investments and loans creating political dependency and unsustainable debt exposure in the uh the Balkans. So what can you talk about the risk that they pose to long-term US and European uh
▶ 1:11:30Thank you for the question. Uh the risk is very high. When I served in the last Trump administration uh at USAD, I was part of a uh DFC USAD counterchina working group and we saw all over the world how China corrupts uh countries through their through their uh infrastructure programs.
▶ 1:11:50Everything from uh bribing officials to get contracts at lower at lower higher cost or not observing any kind of labor, safety, environmental uh or even technical standards. So these uh projects fall apart in Novvisad. We have a station that collapsed there and has caused massive protest. That was a Chinesebuilt uh uh program. They're all over the place.
▶ 1:12:14One of the big problems is that when you look at uh the tenders that are issued uh in in the Balkans, the Chinese are the main people who who are uh uh responding with with bids. Where are the where's the West? This is why it's very important for this administration to move forward like they did the last time using DFC, Commerce Department, and other kinds of strong commercial uh uh uh uh tools to be able to provide an alternative to China.
▶ 1:12:42Thank you very much. Uh Mr. Luki uh given Serbia's simultaneous pursuit of EU membership while deepening political energy and military ties with China and Russia, including China's expanding economic and security footprint. How should Congress assess the risk this dual alignment poses to the regional uh stability, the NATO operations and broader US and Euroatlantic strategic interests?
▶ 1:13:09I think the important thing is to be aware of this and not have any false illusions on what is happening. Yes, Serbia on paper is a uh is aspiring to join the European Union. uh but uh at a time when most of Europe is moving away from Chinese investments, Chinese uh bringing in China to key infrastructure projects, Serbia and arguably Georgia remain the two European countries that do
▶ 1:13:39the exact opposite. And the question that need to be that needs to be answered is is why. Thank
▶ 1:13:46Thank you. And now re recognize Representative Costa from California.
▶ 1:13:52Thank you very much. Um Mr. Chairman and ranking member. Um you know it it um is is challenging looking at the history of this part of the Baltics um post World War II and and where we are today. Uh the the fact is is that um both Mr. um Coffee and Mr.
▶ 1:14:16Joseph, you've indicated that lifting sanctions um on individuals in this region and elsewhere undermines the effectiveness of our ability to seek an agreement between these uh factions that have existed for for decades. Thank you. Uh yes sir.
▶ 1:14:36uh that is correct that prematurely lifting sanctions which have proven to be a very effective tool uh is a mistake and and what role do you see u Mr. Joseph is uh the [clears throat] um ability to us to work on a more comprehensive basis with NATO to uh to u get the sort of ability for these countries to come together.
▶ 1:15:05It's it's been really uh very difficult in in obviously recent years.
▶ 1:15:10Sure. Yes sir. And and NATO plays a key role in Kosovo in Bosnia Govana. Ironically uh there's an economic avenue that is tailorade for this administration because there's a tremendous uh potential.
▶ 1:15:25Why do you think the administration's not pursuing it?
▶ 1:15:28So you or Mr. Joseph said we're at a crossroads right now.
▶ 1:15:33did you say or was it uh your colleague here who said that we're at a crossroads right now? It's with Serbia.
▶ 1:15:39Yes, sir.
▶ 1:15:41Yes, we're we're at a crossroads w with Serbia. Absolutely. Uh and uh it's very important that uh State Department officials have acknowledged this and that we understand that we the United States are also at the crossroads and that we can no longer continue this posture of excessive deference to Belgrade. that we have to move Belgrade towards making a strategic decision
▶ 1:16:04and we have the leverage to do that.
▶ 1:16:05Yes, sir. We do have the leverage. We absolutely do have that leverage. Yes,
▶ 1:16:10And Luke,
▶ 1:16:13well, of course, I I take a different view on this. I I think we we have we use the leverage that we have and we still haven't made meaningful progress on getting Serbia more into our alignment. Um, it's not I don't think it's too much of a issue regarding economics because Serbia's are Serbia is already trading with the Euroatlantic community far more than they do Russia and and and also China, but yet they they still pursue this policy where they try to play each side off the other,
▶ 1:16:42right? Belgrave is trying to have it both ways.
▶ 1:16:45And they're getting away with that.
▶ 1:16:47And they are.
▶ 1:16:48Yeah. and and and and really I mean we go back here with the actions between Ukraine and and uh our alliance with our our European partners and uh I think that part of the world's wondering how certain that that is notwithstanding the discussions that are taking place today.
▶ 1:17:10And we have leverage there. one would argue that we have greater leverage in terms of our ability with Europeans to support Ukraine. Um and and Putin realizes that this administration is not willing to leverage itself. Right.
▶ 1:17:26I agree with that. And so uh today uh what you know another thing that's not directly related to this but the undermining of the actions by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty funding has left us with only the Russian and the Chinese's voices being heard. Uh do you think it's been uh serious as having an impact in that part of the world?
▶ 1:17:51I think it will certainly have a a detrimental impact to that part of the world in other parts. I don't know if we've exactly felt it right now. Um, this is probably more of a longer term issue. Uh, and we also shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that these organizations were working perfectly to begin with. But it was certainly the wrong choice in my opinion to just get rid of everything and have nothing meaningful to replace it at a time when in the 21st century information is so vital.
▶ 1:18:20How people consume information, how you deliver information is so key to geopolitics. and we have effectively removed a tool that we have to do so.
▶ 1:18:30And I remember very clearly back in uh February of 2022 when there was bipartisan strong bipartisan support that this was between good and evil. And if we're trying to increase the narrative about good versus evil without these tools, how do you do that?
▶ 1:18:50Well, you you really can't or your job is made more difficult.
▶ 1:18:54Correct. Well, my time's expired. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To be continued.
▶ 1:18:58And now recognize Representative McBride from Delaware.
▶ 1:19:02Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh, thank you, Ranking Member Keading, and thank you very much to our witnesses for your time and your expertise. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of crises and urgent situations that demand the US's attention right now. While the Western Balkans may not always receive the headlines or attention it deser deserves, this region remains crucial to both American interests and those of our European allies. Ignoring simmering tensions in the Western Balkans is a poor strategy that we conduct at our own peril.
▶ 1:19:33Right now, it seems like this administration lacks a coherent foreign policy strategy. President Trump is levying high tariffs on some of our closest allies while removing sanctions on Balkan politicians allied with Putin. Closer to home, he just pardoned the former uh Honduran president who was convicted by a jury of conspiring with drug cartels to move more than 400 tons of cocaine into the United States.
▶ 1:19:56That comes at the same time the president seems to be looking to start a war with Venezuela and is conducting extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean over alleged drug trafficking. The lawlessness and corruption is dangerous and it is deadly. And Mr. Coffee, I want to return to a subject that I know my colleagues have already brought up at length, which is the Trump administration's recent decision to remove sanctions on Miller Dodic, the nationalist politician who has undertaken a series of actions that threaten to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement.
▶ 1:20:27This agreement, as as you've talked about, uh, is imperfect, but is critical in maintaining stability in the Balkans. In March of this year, Secretary Rubio described Dodic's actions as quote, "dangerous and destabilizing." And so I I'm curious if if you could expand on your perception of how this action by the Trump administration undermines national the national security interests of the United States.
▶ 1:20:54And at the risk of asking you to explain the justification for a decision that you disagree with, could you shed any light to for us on what the administration might be thinking with the sanctions removal?
▶ 1:21:06Thank you, Representative McBride. Uh it should be noted tying back to what Representative Davidson said earlier about the announcement that the US is stopping a rotational brigade to Romania. This is connected actually because both announcements were made on the same day and we might not think that these issues are connected that the administration is not that joined up where they would be messaging something but certainly our friends and allies and and our adversaries in
▶ 1:21:36Europe can see it this way. Um I I don't know the the thinking behind uh removing these sanctions. It wasn't made clear uh by the administration why they were doing this. As I pointed out in my oral statement, it wasn't made clear what if anything we got in return. What I do know is that leading up to this point, there were several op-eds placed around town and then voila, out of nowhere, uh Miller Dodic is removed from the sanctions list.
▶ 1:22:06Um so one can infer what they want from this but I do wonder uh you know what sort of internal processes took place to arrive to this decision and I guess this would be a matter for the legislative branch to try to figure out. Thank you
▶ 1:22:25indeed. Thank you very much for that answer. And I think to your point around connecting dots, I find this move very disturbing and it seems to follow a clear pattern of wealthy or well-connected individuals obtaining get out of jail free cards from President Trump. The New York Times reported that Mr. Dodic hired allies of President Trump, such as Rudy Giuliani, to advocate for the removal of those sanctions. Uh, and so it seems to me to be very suspicious behavior.
▶ 1:22:53Professor Joseph, I I'm I'm curious if if you could speak a little bit to your perception of the potential for corruption to undermine our national security interests and what message this particular action and the circumstances that I've outlined that surround it. What message that could send to our
▶ 1:23:13Thank you, Representative McRd, for that question. And we see the evidence of corruption and in the relationship that China has with Serbia which is built on corruption and which has so angered the Serbian uh people who have uh mobilized under the banner corruption kills correctly so and so it's very clear China uses this it it uh these so-called investment deals that are uh completely opaque and that are destructive.
▶ 1:23:43And we see now that there's a problem that you cannot get away with this forever. So, uh, corruption is an enormous problem. And, and one other thing from the IRI poll, Serbia is the only country in that poll in which the citizens have stated that corruption is the number one problem. It's uh, ranks very high across the region, including Bosnia, Herzer Goavana, and neighbors also North Macedonia and all of them.
▶ 1:24:10But only in Serbia do citizens say it is the number one problem. And and our uh officials should be highlighting this is missing in this uh uh sharp debate, this charge debate now in Serbia. Our officials should be highlighting the fact that this was China belt and road and they were the general contractors on this fatal uh construction.
▶ 1:24:34Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:24:36Okay, we'll go to a second round of questions. U this I want a lightning round for all three of of the witnesses and I I certainly prefer a quick yes or no answer. Uh and I realize that that is probably anathema to your scholarship but um do State Department career bureaucrats view Prime Minister Kurtie as an obstructionist?
▶ 1:25:06Uh more so than not.
▶ 1:25:08Yes. Would you support an unclassified US government report on the 2023 Serbian militant attack in Bayanska, Kosovo with questions about possible Serbian government involvement?
▶ 1:25:24Yes. Long overdue. do you think that the US should grant another sanctions waiver to Serbia for its dependence on Gasprom and Nice waiver? No way. No. No,
▶ 1:25:39absolutely not. Should push Belgrade towards nationalization of Nice.
▶ 1:25:43Do you support continued US assistance to professionalize and bolster the Kosovo security force?
▶ 1:25:49Yes. Yes.
▶ 1:25:52Should the United States and its partners in Europe increase pressure on Serbia to abide by its promise not to oppose Kosovo's membership and international organizations?
▶ 1:26:03Yes. Yes. as agreed by Belgrade in the EU agreement. does Serbia engage in the deactivation of registered residents of individuals uh called pacivation in the uh in the valley that in which the minority Albanians live in Serbia?
▶ 1:26:26Yes. Yes. Yes. That takes place in Prevo Valley. Yes.
▶ 1:26:29Yes. Uh, does Serbia restrict the Albanian language in public institutions even though Albanian minority is guaranteed certain rights?
▶ 1:26:42Uh, before my time is up and I will yield back some time, I have a bill here uh that I am going to introduce to express my concerns over the treatment of the ethnic minorities in Serbia, particularly the ethnic Albanians. Uh it would require the State Department to report on the Belgrade's treatment of ethnic Albanians, including the widely reported pacifation.
▶ 1:27:05Uh and it's time for us to do our part to hold the Republic of Serbia accountable to to its minority ethnic groups to include the Albanians. With that, I yield back and I recognize the ranking member, Mr. Kiting.
▶ 1:27:20Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just want to just take a few minutes. We're a second round on a question. U Mr. Coffee, what do you what are the purposes of sanctions The purpose of sanctions generally are to raise the cost of doing what whatever you're doing that the United States doesn't want you to do. I guess that would be the simplest way of defining
▶ 1:27:45And so what would be the purpose of removing sanctions? The purpose of re removing sanctions would be um twofold I guess. It would be rewarding a change in behavior or it would be used to extract a concession. And in the case of Miller Dodotic, I don't see evidence of either of these happening.
▶ 1:28:06Sure. How would you describe the actions that led to sanctions on on Dodic and his affiliates? Uh and and so is it isn't sanctions by themselves, the removal of sanctions, the adding, they're really meaningless, I think, unless they're connected with, as you said, trying to influence some actions one way or the other.
▶ 1:28:31So, we had sanctions imposed before for reasons, disruptive reasons on Dodic and his affiliates. Uh, and what do we have uh for a reason that they were removed? Mr.
▶ 1:28:46we have almost nothing. And it's quite ironic, ranking member Keating because the administration has stated that peace and stability in the Balkans is its number one priority. And by prematurely lifting these sanctions on this number one destabilizing character in Bazer Governor, they've only bought themselves more instability.
▶ 1:29:06So Mr. coffee. What What actions were rewarded by removing these sanctions?
▶ 1:29:15Uh the actions that were rewarded, I guess you could infer um hiring the right people, the right lobbyists to promote a certain agenda in in in this
▶ 1:29:25mean uh
▶ 1:29:25and this isn't something that's unique to the Trump administration.
▶ 1:29:29For instance, Rod uh Belugovich,
▶ 1:29:32I'm sorry.
▶ 1:29:33Have you heard the name Rod Belovich in connection with this? Yes.
▶ 1:29:37Have you heard the name Rudy Giuliani?
▶ 1:29:40In connection with this?
▶ 1:29:41Have you heard former General Flynn's name connected with this?
▶ 1:29:44Um, no. But I have
▶ 1:29:47Have you heard Laura Loomer's name connected with this?
▶ 1:29:51Same with you, Mr. Joseph. Are you? Uh I'm not privy to the names of people that they've hired, but I know that uh in Belgrade they proudly I just saw the uh president and prime min uh foreign minister uh recently said they're proud of the lobbying effort that they have in
▶ 1:30:09So is that what you're rewarding uh by removal of sanctions? uh you're rewarding those who pay at least hundreds of thousands of dollars reported in fees for people connected to the administration. Is that the reward that that's given for this? Is doesn't it defeat the purpose of sanctions either imposing them or removing them when this is the case?
▶ 1:30:34Yes, it it defeats the purpose of the sanctions and it goes counter to uh US foreign policy interests and the stated priorities of the Trump administration. In that regard, what about other areas of the world? Other areas where there's vital US economic and security interests and there's sanctions imposed. Doesn't it diminish in other parts of the world the imposition of sanctions if this
▶ 1:30:59I believe that that's correct because you have a a precedent. You see a pathway to uh removing sanctions that you don't want. So actions like this have a a greater impact than just beyond the Western Balkans.
▶ 1:31:14Yes. Ranking me. Yes.
▶ 1:31:18Yeah. All right. I yield back. Thank you very much.
▶ 1:31:20Thank you, sir. Thank you. I recognize Representative Kim.
▶ 1:31:25Sure. Uh Mr. Pory Morak, I want to uh revisit the question that I posed earlier about Chinese investments in loans creating political dependency and unsustainable debt uh exposure in the Balkans.
▶ 1:31:40Um, has Washington made it very clear to Belgrade that future US security assistance depends on Serbia avoiding deeper military cooperation with China, especially after acquiring Chinese missile systems and drones. Serbia having military relations with uh communist China is a red line, but I'm far more optimistic than my colleagues about the possibilities of finding a a grand bargain.
▶ 1:32:10The president has done it during his first term between Serbia and Kosov and was moving forward, but he didn't get another term. And who would have thought that Armenia and Azerbaijan would come to a peace agreement? Who would have thought that the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda would come to a peace agreement? Who would have thought that there would be a peace opportunity in Gaza? And we look at what's happening right now between Russia and Ukraine. Real prospects for peace.
▶ 1:32:35So I think with American leadership, especially because of the nature of President Trump being able to to promote the American interest in a commercial fashion that he can use that kind of leadership again with respect to pulling in Serbia. I am far more optimistic about that. The Serbian leaders both in Belgrade and Bulco have openly asked for President Trump to do so. What does Russia have to offer uh Serbia? They have no money. All they have is death and destruction.
▶ 1:33:03What does China have to offer Serbia other than uh debt traps and bad loans. So I think it is an incredible opportunity now. But the problem is we don't have any we we have no ambassadors in the region because they are blocked from going over there without we have an a political ambassador in neighboring Croatia who's been there maybe two or three months and is already pushing forward big deals on the energy side promoting gas pipeline extension in Bosnerovven of all places.
▶ 1:33:33It is time that the Senate move forward with the president's uh uh candidates for for ambassadors because those ambassadors know how to do commercial diplomacy. The ones we have there don't. Thank you.
▶ 1:33:45Thank you, Mr. Primar. I'm going to continue on the uh questioning with you regarding the EU membership and anti-corruption issues. Um are any of the Western Balkan countries uh meeting the EU rule of law and anti-corruption standards? Like would EU membership for these states meaningfully strengthen the regional stability or would greater participation undermine the democratic institutions of the EU?
▶ 1:34:18The EU like the United States has spent massive amounts of anti-corruption programs. Uh we've also had it in Ukraine and they simply do not function. If you do not resolve the fundamental uh uh uh problems in these states with Bosner Govana, it's not a state uh in in in Serbia, it's floating in between the east and the west. There is no there was no leadership in the last administration. Hopefully, we'll get it. We will get it actually from this administration.
▶ 1:34:46Unless you you you resolve these fundamental structural problems within these countries, you can spend as much money as you want as we have and you will get zero results. Thank you, Mr. Kofi. I want to talk to you about uh organized ret I mean organized crime. It is rampant uh across the Western Balkans because it turns the region into a major cocaine gateway, weapon supermarket and money laundering hub.
▶ 1:35:14Um local mafia are increasingly intertwined with political elites and undermining the rule of law and state institutions. So, how is corruption enabling transnational criminal organizations to expand in the the Western Balkans and what are the main illicit activities that you can site that these criminal groups conduct and how do they threaten security in the Europe and the United States?
▶ 1:35:40Well, the the corruption in the region is the ocean through which the organized criminal organizations can swim. um it enables this sort of behavior. Uh and the European I I think probably the greatest tools we have to help these countries in the Western Balkans reform is by the by enticing uh them towards EU and NATO membership. Before they can get in, they have to reform.
▶ 1:36:10If they don't reform, they don't get in. The European Commission just released its annual enlargement report where it highlighted in chapter and verse many of the problems the countries in the Western Balkans face. So they know what the problem is. It's up to them, their leaders, to find the political will to make these changes. But the organized uh the crime syndicates make it difficult for them to do so.
▶ 1:36:32And that creates the instability in the Balkans, which as I pointed out earlier can impact the stability of the the rest of Europe if if we're not careful. So, it's definitely something that we should keep a close eye on.
▶ 1:36:44Thank you, Ale.
▶ 1:36:47Uh, thank you every one of the witnesses. Uh, I appreciate your testimony. Mr. Primarac, we asked for specific ambassadors in the state reauthorization bill that passed out of the house. to your point earlier about having ambassadors on the ground and uh as far as the Trump administration uh I find it difficult with the answers that you gave on the department of state attitude toward Kosovo.
▶ 1:37:15So, you know, we do need the president's uh uh uh intervention here. The members of the subcommittee may have some additional questions for the witnesses and we ask that you respond to these in writing. Those will be submitted officially. Pursuant to committee rules, all members may have five days to submit statements, questions, and extraneous materials for the record subject to the length of limitations. Without objection, the committee stands adjourned. Thank you.