Speaking after a meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic in Sarajevo on Thursday, she said that: “This country belongs in Europe.”

Baerbock emphasized that the process of Bosnia’s EU membership needed to be accelerated and intensified. However, she also warned of the nationalistic tendencies threatening to destabilize the region.

“We therefore must and will stop those who seek to jeopardize the peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina for selfish reasons,” Baerbock said.

She added that Germany would in the future only support those who who were working to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina, not for those seeking to destabilize and weaken it, referencing the Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik, who has been advocating independence for the Serbian part of the country and who enjoys the support of Russia.

Baerbock further emphasized that economic cooperation would be based on shared values, including democracy, the rule of law, and the upholding of international agreements.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Bosnia suffered years of war during which some 100,000 people were killed.

The country is seen as a possible future member of the EU, but is not yet an official candidate country.

Turkovic called for an expedited process for Bosnia to be granted candidate status and the setting of a date for negotiations on its accession to begin.