This is a “worrying” moment in Bosnia and Herzegovina and political leaders should elevate the interests of the country above their grievances while it is also important that BiH, as well as all countries, condemns Russia’s activities in Ukraine, US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Murphy said after meeting with BiH’s three Presidency member.

According to the BiH Presidency, Presidency members Sefik Dzaferovic, Zeljko Komsic and Milorad Dodik met with US Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, Thom Tillis and US Ambassador Michael Murphy.

“It’s important for all of us to condemn what’s happening in Ukraine and I hope that democracies in the world will also look at what’s happening there and take a position, an opposition to what Vladimir Putin has done in Ukraine. I appreciate that BiH is a sovereign country and you need to make your own decisions about that,” Shaheen said after the meeting.

She said that she is “disappointed and disagrees” with the Bosnian Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik, who has insisted that BiH should remain neutral on the matter of Ukraine.

Senator Chris Murphy said that “this is a very worrying moment for BiH.”

“There are lots of people in the US who care deeply about the future of this country, about the people of this country, who are worried about loose talk about shattering state-level institutions. So our message today was one of friendship. We have a long, deep history of friendship and cooperation with BiH. There is probably not another nation that has dedicated more resources to trying to make this complicated nation successful”, he said.

“But we delivered a firm message, which is one of hope that the leaders here will elevate the interests of the country ahead of a list of grievances,” he added.