Hill: I Wouldn’t Rule Out a Change in U.S. Policy Toward Serbia Under Trump

Christopher Hill (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Outgoing U.S. ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill said on Jan.17 that he would not rule out a change in U.S. policy toward Serbia with president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, and said he expected relations between the two countries to further improve.

Ahead of his departure from Belgrade, where his term began in late March 2022, Hill told the state-run RTS broadcaster that he was optimistic about the future of U.S.-Serbia relations. "It is really hard to say (if there will be a policy change). I think the incoming Trump administration, or some of the staff, has worked with Serbia before, so I would not rule out a change," Hill said regarding Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.

Hill said he was confident that the two countries would continue to enhance their relations, adding that the spectrum of issues that Serbia could discuss with the U.S. was much broader now. The U.S. diplomat, who also served as ambassador in North Macedonia, Poland, and South Korea, said he was deeply disappointed with the situation in Kosovo, explaining that Pristina was largely to blame for the lack of progress in the Brussels dialogue.

"Kosovo was supposed to take certain steps, such as protecting various communities, including the Serbs. I must say, I find it very disappointing where we stand on Kosovo. It is very clear that this is an unsatisfactory situation," Hill said, expressing hope for “greater effort” in the dialogue and noting that the European Union was "working very hard" but that it was also facing "quite a challenge."