title: Russian uses and abuses of Serbia-Kosovo dispute
abstract: This chapter analyzes Russia’s strategic manipulation of the Serbia-Kosovo dispute as a central instrument of influence in the Western Balkans. Although Moscow’s direct leverage in the region has diminished since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it continues to exploit unresolved interethnic conflicts to obstruct Euro-Atlantic integration and undermine Western legitimacy. Rooted in ‘strategic legalism,’ Russia selectively invokes international law, most notably UN Security Council Resolution 1244, 