Bosnian Serb Leader Asks Putin to Help Overturn UN High Representative's Decisions

Milorad Dodik, the leader of Bosnia's Serb-majority Republika Srpska entity, has requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence at the UN Security Council to cancel decisions made by Christian Schmidt, the international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The appeal comes ahead of a Security Council debate on the Balkans scheduled for Tuesday. Schmidt serves as the top international civilian official overseeing Bosnia's peace implementation under the 1995 Dayton Agreement, with powers to impose laws and remove officials. Dodik has frequently clashed with international authorities and has challenged Schmidt's legitimacy, while maintaining close ties with Russia despite EU and US sanctions imposed on him for undermining Bosnia's constitutional order.