The European Union warned Serbia and Kosovo on Monday that they could be hurting their chances for E.U. membership by moving their embassies to Jerusalem.
“There is no E.U. member state with an embassy in Jerusalem. Any diplomatic steps that could call into question the E.U.’s common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern and regret,” said European Commission spokesman Peter Stano, according to AP.
In a surprise move last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Serbia and Kosovo had agreed to normalize economic ties as part of U.S.-brokered talks, and that Israel and Kosovo had agreed to mutually recognize each other, as part of which Belgrade would move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Serbian officials downplayed the embassy move, with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačićsaying the final decision depended on the government and “a number of factors,” according to the AP report, which added that Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi sought to control the fallout on his end on a call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“Such recognition will not violate under any circumstances the strategic, friendly and fraternal partnership with Turkey,” said Thaçi.
