On July 27, President of the United States, Joe Biden, held a meeting at the White House with Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, where they discussed various matters, with a particular focus on the situation in the Western Balkans.
In a joint statement released by the US and Italy after their meeting, both leaders expressed their deep commitment to ensuring stability in the Western Balkans, a region comprising Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The United States and Italy reaffirm their shared dedication to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Western Balkans, along with their strong support for the region’s Euro-Atlantic integration,” the statement read.
While addressing the need to promote de-escalation in the region, the two countries pledged to enhance coordination, although specific details on the areas of de-escalation were not disclosed.
The situation in northern Kosovo, where a majority of Serbs reside, has been tense since May 26, when newly-elected Albanian mayors in four municipalities – Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, and North Mitrovica – assumed control of municipal buildings.
Since May 26, local Serbs have been protesting, and the tensions escalated on May 29, leading to clashes between NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) personnel and protesters.
The joint statement from the White House welcomed Italy’s engagement in the Western Balkans, acknowledging the significant contribution of Italian armed forces to missions like KFOR, EULEX, and EUFOR.
Among the injured soldiers during the May 29 clashes were 11 Italian soldiers and 19 Hungarian soldiers.
To alleviate the heightened tensions in the region, the international community has called for early elections in the four northern municipalities of Kosovo. On July 11, the European Union confirmed that Kosovo would support holding new elections in these municipalities as part of the efforts to de-escalate the situation.
