PRISTINA, Kosovo – Kosovo’s prime minister said parliament will meet on Sunday at 3 PM CET, for a special session to declare the province’s independence, a bold and historic bid for statehood in defiance of Serbia and Russia.

By sidestepping the U.N. and appealing directly to the U.S. and other nations for recognition, Kosova’s independence sets up a showdown with Serbia — outraged at the imminent loss of its territory — and Russia, which warns of a dangerous precedent for separatist groups worldwide.

The ethnic Albanian leadership scheduled the extraordinary parliamentary session for Sunday afternoon to proclaim the Republic of Kosova and More >