NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that stability in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia is in the interest of everyone and that he sees no reason to believe there could be any dramatic change in the U.S. commitment to the Western military alliance.
He made these comments during his visit to Bratislava, Slovakia, when asked in a debate with students whether he saw the possibility of renewed conflict in Kosovo, following rumors that new U.S. policies could lead to their military withdrawal.
“Let me be completely clear, from what I understand from the American system, they are fully committed to NATO and their current commitments. But let’s see what happens. We can always have policy changes or small adaptations that may occur. Slovaks, the Dutch, and others are doing this. But I have no reason to believe there will be dramatic decisions. And in general, in the Western Balkans, we must ensure that we keep this region in focus because stability in Kosovo, stability in Bosnia, and stability in Serbia is in the interest of all of us,” Rutte responded.
NATO has had a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo since the end of the war. Currently, KFOR has over 4,600 troops from 28 countries deployed in Kosovo. The largest contingent comes from Italy, followed by the United States, Hungary, and Turkey.
NATO increased its presence in Kosovo during 2023, following rising tensions in the Serb-majority north.
KFOR is the third security responder in Kosovo, after the Kosovo Police and the European Union Rule of Law Mission, EULEX. Among other responsibilities, this mission is in charge of the security of the border line between Kosovo and Serbia.
In Slovakia, the leader of the Western military alliance also spoke about the parliamentary elections in Kosovo, which were held on February 9.
“We have recently had elections in Kosovo. The final result has not yet been finalized, but it is clear that the main party currently governing Kosovo may need a coalition. Let’s see how this develops. Forming coalitions is part of the normal democratic process,” said the NATO chief.
