Miroslav Lajčák, the European Union’s Special Representative for Dialogue, announced on Wednesday that he had a meeting with Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi. The purpose of their discussion was to prepare for an upcoming high-level dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade scheduled for next week.

Lajčák took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share that they engaged in a lengthy and substantial conversation aimed at ensuring the meeting on September 6 in Brussel focuses on the progression of normalizing relations.

Thanks to DPM @BislimiBesnik for meeting in Brussels today. We had a long and substantive discussion in preparation of next week’s High-level Dialogue Meeting. Our main focus was on how to advance normalisation of relations. pic.twitter.com/yfdUbvLWPP

— Miroslav Lajčák (@MiroslavLajcak) September 6, 2023

Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, had previously confirmed that the next meeting between Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić, would be held on September 14.

Their last meeting took place on May 2, shortly after extraordinary elections in northern Kosovo, which had faced a boycott by the local Serbian population. Since that time, tensions and crises have arisen between the two nations.

The EU reiterated its call on August 30 for both parties to create a conducive environment for sustaining the dialogue.

Negotiations for the normalization of relations have been ongoing since 2011, facilitated by the European Union. Despite reaching numerous agreements across various domains, the implementation of many of these agreements has encountered obstacles.