European Union presses the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to set decades of enmity behind them

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is ramping up political pressure on Serbia and Kosovo to normalize their relations. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Albin Kurti met Thursday with the leaders of France, Germany and Italy, plus the two EU officials supervising a stuttering “dialogue” between them. Vucic and Kurti distrust each other and were not expected to meet face to face. More meetings might take place later Thursday. Fears are high of a resumption of the violence that has marked Kosovo-Serbia ties since Kosovo unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade has never accepted the move. A major gun battle in northern Kosovo last month has spurred the Europeans into action.