President of unrecognized Kosovo Vjosa Osmani said that Pristina will apply for EU membership by the end of this year. She made the announcement on Tuesday before the EU-Western Balkans summit in the Albanian capital.

"Kosovo will apply for EU membership at the end of this year, and we are counting on everyone's support," Osmani said, adding that it is time for the EU to move "from words to actions."

The leader of unrecognized Kosovo also stressed that this summit is not a negotiating platform between Belgrade and Pristina. "I am here as the leader of one of the most pro-European countries. We have shown this in action when it comes to pro-European actions. We need the EU to move from words to actions, such as EU visa liberalization. This is a meeting between the EU and the Western Balkans, not a negotiation between Kosovo and Serbia," Osmani told reporters, accusing Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić of being "a continuation of old thinking," and that he needs to make a final decision, "either to side with Russia or to side with Ukraine."

The Serbian autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija declared independence unilaterally in February 2008 and in recent years has been actively trying to join international organizations, including UNESCO and Interpol. More than 60 countries, including Russia, India and China, as well as five EU member states, oppose the recognition of Kosovo.