After the Operation Storm in mid-1995, the only remaining part of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina became that in eastern Croatia along the Danube river. Contrary to Krajina mainland, Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia shared a long border with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (its constituent Republic of Serbia). It was also economically and socially dependent and politically much more closely aligned with authorities in Belgrade and Novi Sad than Krajina. This led the international community to believe that Croatian intervention in Eastern Slavonia case would trigger a military reaction from Yugoslavia and result in an escalation of hostilities. At the same time, the military defeat of Krajina and signing of the Washington Agreement opened the space to resolve the armed conflict in Bosnia which the US Administration wanted to use for political benefits before the 1996 United States presidential election.