Russian Minister Warns U.S. About Kosovo Red Lines

The most serious problem facing the international community in Europe today is the final status of Kosovo. As things stand, Serbia will neither accept Kosovo’s eventual independence nor its partition. The European Union is hesitant and divided with regards to Kosovo independence. Russia is not expected to recognize Kosovo’s independence unless Serbia does first, and that is a most unlikely prospect.

Kosovo-Albanian leaders have said they would declare independence even without U.N. agreement after Dec. 10, 2007 and seek recognition from the United States and European Union. [source: Reuters]

See former Commander of KFOR Gen. Klaus Reinhardt's statement about the international situation.

Calling Kosovo a 'red line that must not be crossed', Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made it pretty clear that his nation will not cooperate with the U.S. on Kosovo independence.Lavrov also made overtures toward a new closeness to the West.

In my opinion, if Russia is truly interested in closer ties with the West, they could start showing they mean it by stopping the practice of spying on and killing off their own nation's investigative journalists. If fewer of their women were beaten and raped, it would also be a good start.