Kosovo has declared independence from Serbia in the latest chapter of the decades-long breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci spoke before the Kosovar parliament Sunday after lawmakers unanimously approved the independence decree.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci: “All the men and women who have made huge sacrifices for a better future for Kosovo — firstly, we, the leaders of our nation, elected in a democratic way. Through this declaration, we declare Kosovo an independent and democratic nation.”

Serbia has vowed not to recognize Kosovo as an independent state. The Serbian government says the declaration violates a 1999 UN resolution that puts Kosovo under a UN-NATO mandate and affirms Serbia’s territorial integrity. Serbia is backed by Russia, which has called a closed-door emergency session of the UN Security Council. But it will likely face opposition from the United States. At the UN, Deputy U.S. representative Alejandro Wolff said the U.S. supports Kosovo’s independence.

Deputy U.S. representative Alejandro Wolff: “We are pleased by the commitments made to the respect for religious and ethnic communities of Kosovo. We’re very much pleased that the declaration also reflects a position of the United States that’s longstanding; that is, we’re for an implementation of the (UN Special Envoy Martti) Ahtisaari plan.”

The Kosovo issue has split the European Union. Britain and France say they support the declaration, while several countries, including Spain, Greece and Romania, are opposed.