CIA director William Burns has arrived in Kosovo after stops earlier this week in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia on an unannounced trip amid concerns about U.S. relations with Kosovo and Russian influence in the Balkans.
Burns was seen on August 22 entering the building of Kosovo’s presidency.
A U.S. government official confirmed to RFE/RL earlier this week that Burns arrived in Sarajevo and met with his Bosnian counterparts, members of the presidency, and the foreign minister.
Burns is believed to have traveled from Sarajevo to Belgrade, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia before arriving in Kosovo. According to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24, a U.S. military plane believed to be used to fly the CIA chief made stops in those countries. On August 22, it was seen parked at the VIP gate at Pristina's international airport, according to an RFE/RL photographer.
But there has been no confirmation of Burns’ visit to Kosovo from the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, the Kosovar presidency, or the Interior Ministry.
The U.S. government official who confirmed Burns’ visit to Sarajevo said the CIA chief was in the Bosnian capital to discuss the “worrying secessionist rhetoric and actions” of the pro-Russian president and government of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb entity.
Burns' visit to Kosovo follows concerns about the partnership between the United States and Kosovo, especially regarding the government's handling of issues related to the country's Serb minority.
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Jeffrey Hovenier Speaks To RFE/RL
In an interview last week with RFE/RL's Kosovo Service, U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier said the U.S. administration had been "challenged" by Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his government and the “quality of our partnership is not what we would hope it would be on some of these issues."
The U.S. State Department has urged Kurti to return to "constructive and close engagement" with Washington, the European Union, and NATO, while the United States is also urging Kosovo not to reopen a bridge in Mitrovica because of security concerns.
Burns did not meet with Kurti because the prime minister is in Chicago attending the Democratic National Convention at the invitation of the National Democratic Institute.
Former Kosovar security forces commander Kadri Kastrati said Burns’ visit may be linked to Russia’s activities in the western Balkans, where he said Moscow is waging a “hybrid war."
Kastrati said the greatest risk of conflict is in Bosnia through Republika Srpska and in northern Kosovo.
Burns’ visit shows that the CIA has “enough information about Russian efforts -- through its satellite, Serbia --- that this part of Europe is at risk of a potential conflict,” Kastrati said. "They came here to give their recommendations."