Kosovo–Serbia Tensions: Kosovo permanently banned Serbian minister Snežana Paunović after she said she would have “ethnically cleansed” Kosovo in 1998; EU officials and Serbian NGOs condemned the rhetoric as hate speech and normalization of ethnic cleansing. EU Rule of Law Pressure: The EU urged Kosovo and Serbia to let Serbian judges and prosecutors return to northern courts, after vacancies followed earlier disputes over license plates—Pristina says any return must follow constitutional rules. Energy Policy Shift: Kosovo is considering imports of American LNG, potentially via a partnership with Albania at Vlora, aligning with Western Balkan moves to reduce vulnerability to Russian influence. EU Enlargement Momentum: “Super Tuesday” advanced EU accession tracks for Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, with negotiations opening/closing steps in Brussels. Regional Diplomacy: Serbia’s Vučić met Zelensky in Kyiv for the Southeast Europe–Ukraine summit, pledging humanitarian aid while refusing to join calls for more pressure on Russia. Internal Party Shake-up: Kosovo opposition Democrats’ leadership is under pressure, with officials submitting signatures to trigger an emergency vote to replace Lumir Abdixhiku. International Spotlight (Gaza): Israeli strikes in Gaza killed multiple civilians as ceasefire talks faltered, keeping the humanitarian and legal fallout in global headlines.