Bosnia faces US‑EU standoff over new High Representative appointment

The resignation of High Representative Christian Schmidt has sparked a diplomatic clash over his successor. Washington backs Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, a former ambassador to Belgrade and recipient of Russia’s Order of Friendship, while several European partners question his suitability and urge limits on the powers of the office. The dispute has delayed the expected decision in Sarajevo on June 3‑4, and the United States has said it will review its presence in Bosnia until a consensus is reached. The outcome is seen as crucial for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s reform agenda and its prospective accession to the European Union.