The Embassy of the United States of America in Bosnia and Herzegovina reacted to the decision of the President of the RS Milorad Dodik to honor Vladimir Putin.

Dodik awarded Putin with the Order of the Republika Srpska on a necklace because "he is responsible for developing and strengthening cooperation and political and friendly relations between the RS and Russia."

- Milorad Dodik's decision to bestow an award on Vladimir Putin, the man who launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that has resulted in the death of thousands of civilians and the massive destruction of infrastructure, was reprehensible. It was a repudiation of the values of the Euro-Atlantic community and the rules-based international order.

Likewise, Mr. Dodik's decision to celebrate the Day of Republika Srpska on January 9 is illegal. It violates the BiH Constitutional Court decision that the commemoration is unconstitutional. Article III(3) of the Dayton Constitution is clear: the Republika Srpska must fully comply with the decisions of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the final and binding ruling of the BiH Constitutional Court, whether RS authorities like them or not. The calls for RS independence repeated yesterday coupled with specious legal claims about its competencies and attempts to undermine the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina are pushing the country down a dangerous path. The Republika Srpska will only destroy itself and those around it pursuing the will-o-wisp of independence - it was stated from the US Embassy.