BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbia, which refuses to sign an agreement with Kosovo on normalizing relations, "wants to leave open the option of invading the country,” Kosovo’s prime minister said Tuesday.

Speaking at a panel discussion in London organized by the British think tank Chatham House on security problems in the Western Balkans, Albin Kurti said Russia's presence in the Balkans has increased through Serbia and in this context, the signing of an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is more urgent than ever.

According to Kurti, the fact that the agreement has not been signed so far is "a clear sign of a lack of goodwill."

He added that Serbia or any potential ally of Russia could not keep the region away from the European Union because this would only serve Russia and its efforts to re-divide the continent.

Launched in 2011, the EU-led Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue aims to find a mutually agreeable solution for disputes in the framework of a legally binding agreement.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye recognizing it as an autonomous country.

Serbia, however, still considers Kosovo as its territory.