Sam Green

I see a lot of ill-informed responses below about the Bytyqi brothers, so a few facts are worth clarifying. Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi were American citizens who volunteered to fight with the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1999 Kosovo conflict. After the war ended, they crossed an unmarked administrative boundary while escorting a Romani family to safety. They were arrested, served a 15-day sentence for illegal entry, and a Serbian judge ordered their release. Instead of being freed, they were taken by members of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs to the police training facility at Petrovo Selo, where they were bound and executed. Their bodies were later found in a mass grave. More than 27 years later, no one has been held accountable for the murders of three American citizens. That is why this case remains a longstanding issue in U.S.-Serbia relations.

Launching a U.S.-Serbia Strategic Dialogue now is a major strategic error. From the still-unresolved divestment of Russian ownership in NIS to the continued lack of justice for the Bytyqi brothers, longstanding bilateral concerns remain unresolved. All while the Vučić government intensifies pressure on journalists, civil society, and political opponents and continues policies that fuel instability across the Western Balkans. This rewards bad behavior, hands Vučić a political victory, and sends exactly the wrong signal. Washington should be increasing leverage and demanding results, not upgrading relations without them.

🇲🇪 Montenegro shuts its doors: Russians lose visa-free travel Starting October 1, Russian citizens will no longer be able to enter Montenegro without a visa. According to local outlet DAN, the country is also ending visa-free access for citizens of Belarus and Peru. The move brings an end to nearly 18 years of visa-free travel between Russia and Montenegro, closing one of the last easy European gateways for Russian tourists.

Outrageous statement. No place for this in a state aspiring to EU membership.

Ukraine's unmanned naval drones just dealt a major blow to Russia's shadow fleet. While Russia relies on attacks on civilians, Ukraine uses ingenuity to punch above its weight. It’s time we enact the Russian sanctions bill to build on Ukraine’s momentum and bring Putin’s illegal war to an end.

The Russian sanctions legislation championed by my friend Sen. Graham will continue to have my full support in the Senate. We should enact this bipartisan measure to exert maximum economic pressure on Putin’s war machine and help bring this unjust war to an end.

Today marks 27 years since Ylli Bytyqi, Agron Bytyqi, and Mehmet Bytyqi, three American citizens were murdered after being transferred to Serbian police custody in 1999. Their family still awaits justice.

It was great to join Members of Congress from the @HelsinkiComm at their @oscepa in The Hague over the past few days. We have separate and distinct roles, authorities, and governance, but share a common goal: advancing American interests and strengthening security across the OSCE region. I look forward to continuing our close partnership.

While Ukraine is doing well across much of the front line, on missile defense the trend is negative. Russia is using more ballistic missiles, they are getting more out of those capabilities, and the number of interceptors being provided to Ukraine is not tangibly increasing.

@McFaul If this happens, the real test won’t be the resignation itself. It will be whether Serbia gets a genuine democratic transition, or a Putin-style office swap with Vucic taking on the PM title.

Wow. People power rises again in Serbia, similar to 2000?

This decision could impact 1.3 million people on TPS, some who have been here since the early 90s. This is a devastating loss for millions of American families, and countless employers will soon be losing workers. This is the biggest de-legalization moment in modern history.

A devastating and un-american decision. TPS exists because returning people to their home countries would expose many to armed conflict, persecution, or humanitarian catastrophe. Ending these protections will put countless lives at risk, not to mention the human cost as families and communities are torn apart.

Breaking news: The Trump administration can cancel temporary humanitarian protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants living legally in the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled, possibly allowing the deportation of hundreds of thousands of people this year. wapo.st/4f2NZXd

Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine. I thank our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine for their coordinated efforts – the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence, and our missile brigade for their precision. In recent days, all of our partners have noted the precision and effectiveness of our mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy.

Last night, Russia struck Kyiv’s iconic Pechersk Lavra, or the Monastery of the Caves, a sacred place of pilgrimage for Eastern Orthodox Christians with almost a thousand years of history. Read @SenatorWicker's reaction here.⤵️

The World Cup begins tomorrow, and many will watch the matches. Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget: life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together. Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they have talent, has not yet understood the game. Anyone who does not know how to live with and for others has not yet understood life. #ApostolicJourney

Open Letter to the President of the Russian Federation: president.gov.ua/en/news/vidkri…

Russia is losing on the battlefield and in the Black Sea. Its economy is in tatters. All it can do is bomb Ukrainian cities and civilians. This is why we must pass Russian sanctions and military aid to Ukraine. The House will vote on this in two weeks.

It was a pleasure meeting with CRTA in Belgrade on behalf of the @HelsinkiComm and hearing their important work supporting democratic accountability and electoral integrity in Serbia. Free and fair elections, independent media regulation, and public trust in voter rolls are foundational to democratic resilience. Progress on implementing OSCE/ODIHR recommendations prior to elections, particularly reforms related to REM and the voter list are critical for strengthening democratic institutions and public confidence. Thank you for the thoughtful discussion. @CRTArs

@MFASerbia @stsecjovanovic @HelsinkiComm @StateDept @USEmbassySerbia @SRBinUS Thank you to @stsecjovanovic for the meeting today. The United States and Serbia have opportunities to deepen cooperation; meaningful strategic dialogue requires progress on key bilateral and regional issues, I’m glad we were able to discuss these important matters.

Државна секретарка у Министарству спољних послова Републике Србије Невена Јовановић @stsecjovanovic састала се данас са представницима Америчке Хелсиншке комисије коју је предводио виши саветник Самјуел Грин @Sam_Green_DC и представницима Амбасаде Сједињених Америчких Држава у Београду. Разматрани су билатерални односи Републике Србије и Сједињених Америчких Држава, уз нагласак на значају даљег унапређења сарадње и потреби за што скоријим отпочињањем најављеног стратешког дијалога између две државе. 🇷🇸🤝🇺🇸 📄⬇️ 🔗msp.gov.rs/mediji/vesti/j…