Hovenier and Hill's appointment as ambassadors to Pristina and Belgrade is part of a new US diplomatic strategy in the Balkans

 

 "The appointment of Jeffrey Hovenier as US ambassador to Kosovo and Christopher Hill in Serbia aims to expand US influence over the two countries' processes," political analysts told Pristina's Koha Ditore.

Violeta Huxoli of the Kosovo Democratic Institute says the US administration has put more focus on the region and the experience of diplomats such as Hill and Hovenier should be used to complete the still open process. "Every step we take in the dialogue must be in close consultation with the United States, as it has been proven that the United States is the only partner that has firmly stated that mutual recognition is their ultimate goal in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue," he said she.

 Meanwhile, former Serbian diplomat Zoran Milivojevic expects to see further intensities with regard to Kosovo this year. "The new US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, is the first of three new ambassadors expected to arrive in the region, along with Christopher Hill and the new ambassador to Sarajevo. "This is part of Biden's new US foreign policy strategy to address the unresolved issues in the region, the so-called unfinished business, namely Kosovo and Bosnia."