Serbian National Defense, one of the oldest and most respected organization representing Serbian-Americans and Serbian-American voters in the United States, issues this public statement in response to the recent letter sent by Representatives Claudia Tenney and Chrissy Houlahan to President Donald J. Trump concerning U.S. policy in Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija.
While we deeply respect and remain grateful to Congresswoman Tenney, who has for many years stood as a courageous advocate for the Serbian-American community and a vocal defender of Serbian interests in Congress and public discourse, we must most firmly and unequivocally reject the language in her letter that endorses “mutual recognition” between Serbia and its breakaway, U.S. taxpayers-dependent province of Kosovo and Metohija.
Let us be clear: “mutual recognition” is a red line—our Rubicon—that must never be crossed. The notion that Serbia should recognize the so-called Republic of Kosovo as a separate country is not only offensive to historical truth and international law, but also represents the ultimate betrayal of centuries of Serbian identity, faith, sacrifice, and sovereignty.
Serbian National Defense is in the strongest possible opposition to any framework that contemplates “mutual recognition.” This term does not represent compromise, it represents capitulation. We urge President Donald Trump, who we believe is a friend of the Serbian people, not to accept or act on any suggestion of mutual recognition. Instead, we plead with him to pursue a realistic and just solution that:
– Guarantees peace and security for all communities in the province,
– Ensures full freedom of movement and civil rights for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija,
– Ends the rampant anti-Christian and anti-Serb violence orchestrated by the Kurti regime in Kosovo and Metohija,
– And secures the ultimate return of the province of Kosovo and Metohija to full Serbian sovereignty.
We call for an open, transparent negotiation process—not secret backroom agreements orchestrated by the Vucic regime in Belgrade, which continues to make undisclosed promises that further compromise Serbia’s territorial integrity and expose the remaining Serbian population in the province to grave risk.
President Trump is an accomplished negotiator and visionary businessman. We are confident he will recognize that new, creative solutions—not recycled failures—are needed to resolve this ongoing crisis. The American people are also tired of seeing our tax dollars used to prop up failed foreign nation-building experiments, of which so-called Kosovo is the most glaring example.
Let it be known: mutual recognition is out of the question for every Serbian, in Serbia and in the diaspora. It should never be put on the table.
We remain committed to advocating for a peaceful, just, and lawful resolution to the status of Kosovo and Metohija—one that respects Serbia’s sovereignty, its history, and its people.
Serbian National Defense Chicago, IL
