NATO will reduce its military presence in Kosovo, where the alliance’s peacekeeping mission remains one of the key factors of stability in the Balkans after the 1999 war.
A statement from NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe says the situation in Kosovo has improved enough in recent years for the size and format of the KFOR mission to be gradually adjusted over the next year. The reduction could be reconsidered, however, if tensions rise again.
“NATO and KFOR are fully committed to ensuring security in Kosovo,” said Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He also reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to the Western Balkans, calling the region “strategically important.”
The decision comes amid a broader shift in the American approach to European security after Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The United States is pushing European allies to take primary responsibility for their own defense under an approach known as “NATO 3.0.” It is part of a broader reduction in Washington’s involvement in European affairs as U.S. priorities shift.
NATO has maintained a presence in Kosovo since the 1998–1999 war between Serbs and ethnic Albanians. The conflict ended after NATO bombing forced Serbian troops to withdraw across the border. Around 5,000 troops currently take part in the KFOR mission in Kosovo.