Putin ally Serbia fails to clinch a deal with NATO-backed Kosovo | Explained

Rising tensions in the Balkans, Serbia & Kosovo leaders failed to reach an agreement. The Serbia-Kosovo conflict has added to Europe's instability during the Ukraine war. The West fears Russia could encourage Serbia into an armed intervention in Kosovo. Like Serbia, Russia doesn't recognise Kosovo independence & veto power can block Kosovo from joining UN. Kosovo, an ethnic-Albanian majority, broke away from Serbia in a bloody conflict which began in 1998. On March 24, 1999, NATO attacked Serbia and bombed it for 2.5 months - Thousands of civilians killed. Supported by the U.S & U.K, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence, but Russia has diplomatically backed Serbia.