The US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, James O’Brien, the US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, and members of the US Embassy in Pristina, have participated in the planting of a tree in the Embassy yard, as a sign of commemoration and honoring the figure of the late American ambassador, Tina Kaidanow.

From 2006 to 2009, Kaidanow was the head of the American mission, and then the first American ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo.

“This tree will stand as a symbol of her legacy, and will remind us of her steadfast commitment to Kosovo’s path to peace, democracy and independence,” said Hovenier through a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

She died on October 16 at the age of 59.

As a career diplomat, Kaidanow has been engaged several times in the Balkan region, with the aim of supporting peace processes.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Kaidanow has been an exceptional diplomat “who has led some of the most challenging foreign policy issues of her time”.

Throughout her career, Kaidanow has also been committed to the regions of Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the Caucasus and Afghanistan.

In recent years, she has served as deputy assistant to the Secretary of State in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.