EU calls for Serbia, Kosovo to attend crisis talks 'without preconditions'

The European Union has told the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to attend crisis talks in Brussels "without preconditions", as the bloc looks to pressure the two sides to ease tensions.

"The date of the meeting has not been set yet, because the parties have not confirmed their attendance so far," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said on Monday.

"We expect them to show a reasonable attitude and to come to Brussels and to make the necessary efforts to de-escalate, and we take it from there depending on whether the meeting happens and how it goes."

Stano said the leaders were expected "to come without preconditions" and pointed to two upcoming meetings where EU states could discuss measures against the two sides if they don't cooperate.

The EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has so far gotten no response to an invitation to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's premier Albin Kurti to meet in Brussels this week.

Dialogue 'pointless'

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday told a press conference that the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Process was "pointless" unless the detained Kosovo Serbs were released.

Every crisis dialogue is about demanding Serbia to give in, Vucic said, adding: "I have nothing more to give in and that's it."

"This conversation is pointless, and whether I'm going to show up or not, whether I should give them that opportunity or not - I will decide on that, it will be our tactical decision," he said, but did not rule out attending.

"I will not talk about anything unless the detained Kosovo Serbs are released. This dialogue is completely meaningless in the circumstances," Vucic added.

Kurti, for his part, said he was waiting for Kosovan representatives to get access to the detained police before agreeing.

NATO calls for de-escalation

The detention of the police officers is the latest flare-up after weeks of tension between the two sides over disputed elections in Serb-majority northern Kosovo.

Rioting by ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo saw 30 NATO peacekeepers injured in late May.

The EU had threatened Kosovo with political consequences such as suspending high-level visits and financial cooperation if it does not reverse course on the elections.

NATO on Monday also called on all parties in Kosovo to stop any further escalatory steps and return immediately to the dialogue negotiated by the European Union.

"Our forces, the KFOR, will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure a safe and secure environment," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have persisted since a war in the late 1990s that drew NATO intervention against Belgrade.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has refused to recognise it.