Serbia and Kosovo talks collapse fails despite EU efforts

(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, JUN 27 - A European Union bid to breathe new life into stalled negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo fell through Wednesday, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Kosovo prime minister failing to meet as planned.
    The sitdown was supposed to happen nearly a year after the bitter rivals last met, following repeated rounds of unsuccessful negotiations. Both Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti had separate meetings with EU representatives, but according to EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, "no progress in implementation of the agreement could be achieved".
    "This time, it has not been a trilateral meeting," Borell said.
    Talks between Serbia and Kosovo aimed at hammering out a landmark deal to pave the way for a semblance of normalised ties all but crumbled last year. During a high-stakes summit in North Macedonia in March 2023, Vucic refused to sign the EU- and US-backed Ohrid agreement -- citing a pain in his right hand that would likely last "years". (ANSA-AFP).