Netherlands ? The United Nations’ highest court ruled Thursday that Kosovo’s declaration of independence was legal, dealing a blow to Serbia, which vowed never to accept its former province as a separate state and warned the ruling could embolden separatist movements around the world.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci hailed the ruling as a “historic victory” and “the best possible answer for the entire world,” while Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni, said outside the International Court of Justice: “My message to the government of Serbia is ‘Come and talk to us.'”

A tiny patch of the Balkans with a population of 2 million, Kosovo declared independence in February 2008 after years of fruitless talks with Belgrade about its desire to break away.

Issuing the nonbinding advisory opinion, International Court of Justice President Hisashi Owada said international law contains “no … prohibition of declarations of independence” and therefore Kosovo’s declaration “did not violate general international law.”