Unwanted Bridges in Kosovo Draw Western Warnings of Stoking Tensions

Here is a 177-word summary of the news article: The construction of new bridges in Kosovo has drawn warnings from Western officials that these projects could stoke tensions in the region. The bridges, which are being built with the help of Serbia, are seen as attempts to solidify Serbia's influence in Kosovo's Serb-majority areas. Western leaders, including the European Union's foreign policy chief, have expressed concerns that the bridges could undermine Kosovo's sovereignty and lead to further division between the ethnic Albanian-majority and Serb-minority populations. They have urged Serbia and Kosovo to focus on dialogue and reconciliation instead of unilateral actions that could increase tensions. However, Serbian officials defend the bridge projects as necessary infrastructure improvements that benefit all citizens, regardless of ethnicity. They argue that the bridges are not political tools but rather efforts to improve connectivity and living conditions in the region. The disagreement over the bridges highlights the ongoing tensions and fragile relations between Serbia and its former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.