The Kosovo Center for Security Studies (KCSS) has assessed that Serbia's national security doctrine has become an instrument for institutionalizing hostility towards Kosovo, while simultaneously deepening strategic cooperation with Russia and China.
According to the report, which analyzes how Serbia's security doctrine views Kosovo, this development has the potential to undermine EU and NATO interests in the Western Balkans.
A KCSS statement on the report states that according to the findings, behind the rhetoric of "military neutrality," Serbia is systematically instilling an anti-Western narrative and treating Kosovo's statehood as a security issue to justify aggressive behavior.
"On paper, the doctrine positions Serbia as a state balancing between East and West. But KCSS researchers emphasize that this is a facade. In reality, Serbia is pursuing a two-track policy: selectively engaging with the West for economic and political benefits, while at the same time deepening military, economic and ideological alliances with authoritarian powers such as China and Russia," the statement said.
Among the most worrying elements of this doctrine is Serbia's embrace of the concept of "Total Defense" - a model that is said to militarize society and blur the line between the civilian and military sectors.
"The report warns that this approach could increase the risk of instability in the region, especially in a context where Serbia continues to portray the West – especially NATO, the EU and civil society – as instruments of foreign intervention," the statement said.
The report calls for a proactive response from Western actors, but also from Kosovo itself. It urges NATO and the EU to pursue a more coordinated and consistent approach towards Serbia, “including conditionality mechanisms that link financial and political support to the fulfillment of democratic standards and the harmonization of foreign policy with that of the EU.”
It is also recommended that Kosovo strengthen its diplomatic stance and improve coordination with key allies, in order to be perceived as a normative actor in the region.
The report is titled "How does Serbia's security doctrine view Kosovo, the West, Russia and China?" and is authored by Ramadan Ilazi, head of research at the KCSS.
