Negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, which restarted in Brussels on Tuesday under the auspices of the European Union, hold the key for stability in the Western Balkans.

Without an agreement on mutual recognition as independent states, the festering dispute will unsettle borders, curtail economic development, and preclude EU integration. For the talks to succeed, the Biden administration needs to play a more active role in the process. Whereas the EU is viewed in the region as divided and unreliable, the United States retains credibility because of its leadership role in resolving previous Balkan conflicts.