Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, announced on Thursday his plans to travel to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking what would be his second visit to the country this year. The visit comes amid ongoing legal and political pressure from Bosnian authorities, who have sought to remove him from office and prosecute him.
Dodik indicated that one of his key objectives will be to request Russia’s veto at the United Nations Security Council against the extension of the EUFOR (Operation Althea) peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Operation Althea, a continuation of international peacekeeping efforts established after the 1995 Dayton Agreement, has been tasked with maintaining stability in the region for nearly three decades.
The Republika Srpska president also stated that his discussions with Putin may include support for a potential referendum on the entity’s independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Republika Srpska, home to a majority Serb population, has long had tensions with the central Bosnian government in Sarajevo.
This year has seen a series of legal actions targeting Dodik. On February 26, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced him to one year in prison and banned him from political activity for six years, alleging violations of the country’s constitutional order. In late March, a warrant for his arrest was issued, but on April 1, Dodik traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin.
Despite these actions, Dodik has remained in office, with reports indicating that Bosnian authorities have hesitated to arrest him over fears of sparking ethnic unrest. On April 23, a failed attempt to detain him in East Sarajevo was thwarted when Republika Srpska police intervened, warning they would use force to protect him.
Dodik has since proposed holding a local election in Republika Srpska to decide whether he should remain president. While the exact timing of his next visit to Moscow has not been confirmed, it is widely believed to be planned for October. However, a more immediate trip — particularly to press for Russia’s veto on the UN peacekeeping mission — may occur within days or weeks.