US pressures Skopje over name deal with Athens

US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien hinted on Tuesday that Washington is exerting pressure on the new government of North Macedonia to respect the Prespa name agreement signed in 2018 with Greece.

Addressing a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the future of Europe, O'Brien noted, among other things, that the US is working "to ensure that the new government of North Macedonia respects the Prespa Agreement" with Greece. His remarks were made in response to a question from Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who conveyed the frustration confided in her by leaders of the Western Balkans (North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro) at the recent NATO Summit in Washington about the slow progress of their accession negotiations with the EU. 

Referring to Skopje, O'Brien noted that North Macedonia has "suffered because of...