Ruto Causes Another Diplomatic Controversy In Europe While In Vatican
As contentious as President William Ruto’s trip to the Vatican was, it appears that he has sparked a “diplomatic storm” in Europe following a brief meeting with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, despite prior protests.
The initial commotion began last month when Kenya officially recognized Kosovo as an independent state on March 26.
This decision was expected to damage diplomatic relations with Serbia, which has strong support from the Kremlin and Beijing at the United Nations.
This acknowledgment was commemorated by a signing ceremony, which former Kosovo President Behgjet Pacolli documented on social media.
President Ruto’s decision makes Kenya the first country in five years to officially recognize Kosovo.
Ruto’s meeting with Osmani at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ burial on Saturday appeared to discount Serbia’s earlier diplomatic reservations.
“Always a pleasure to meet Kosovo’s great friend,” Osmani wrote shortly after the meeting with Ruto, in a photo that was widely circulated by curious Kenyan social media users.
However, Kenya and Kosovo appear to be having excellent bilateral discussions and developments despite the deadlock, with the Kosovo president admitting that they discussed how to strengthen bilateral ties.
Always a pleasure to meet Kosovo’s great friend, President @WilliamsRuto, and to discuss the next steps in strengthening our bilateral relations, bringing the people of Kosovo and Kenya even closer together.
— Vjosa Osmani (@VjosaOsmaniPRKS) April 27, 2025
🇽🇰🤝🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/q0oKLP8pGd
“Always a pleasure to meet Kosovo’s great friend, President William Ruto, and discuss next steps in strengthening our bilateral relations, bringing the people of Kosovo and Kenya even closer,” she stressed.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but it has yet to join the United Nations.
This is due to strong opposition from Serbia and its allies, including the Kremlin and China, who have veto power in the UN.
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As a result, President Ruto’s decision in March to recognise Kosovo was condemned by Serbia as “an unacceptable and hostile act,” with the country pledging to take appropriate action in response.
Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly responded, strongly condemning Kenya’s decision to recognise Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.
In its statement, Serbia all but severed diplomatic ties with Kenya, asserting that President Ruto’s move violated the UN Charter, which it claims safeguards its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Serbia claimed that the recognition of Kosovo violated international law and directly violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, which clearly guaranteed Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ruto Causes Another Diplomatic Controversy In Europe While In Vatican
