UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, October 16, 2025

Albanian Language Media:

Vetevendosje supports Tirana protest: The KLA war was just (media)
Rama to VV: Ten years ago, you didn’t even recognize Kosovo’s anthem (media)
KLA War Veterans: Protest in Tirana a protest of Albanians, not of political parties (RTK)
NATO’s Rutte responds to Vucic’s war rhetoric: The Balkans are in focus (Klan)
Serbian List addresses Constitutional Court again (media)
KSF vehicles entered the north by mistake, police and KSF confirm (media)
Orav, Rudolph discuss importance of continued EU support for Kosovo (media)
Haradinaj asks for Germany’s support for Kosovo in NATO and EU (media)
“Serbian List, a champion of violations and fines during election campaign” (EO)
Police confirm arrest over false medical reports in Kllokot elections (Telegrafi)
Krasniqi: I had big dilemma whether to speak publicly about the violence I experienced (TeVe1)

Serbian Language Media:

Dacic: "No cooperation with so-called Kosovo police, because we do not recognize unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo" (RTS, Danas, FoNet)
Kosovo Security Force vehicles briefly enter North Mitrovica - police say it was a mistake (KoSSev)
Office for KiM: KSF in north a serious threat for Serbs, international community to react urgently (Kosovo Online, media)
Serbian List: Arrival of KSF to northern Kosovo dangerous provocation, KFOR to increase presence (media)
SL filed a complaint with Constitutional Court in Pristina over manner of election of Serbian Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (Tanjug, media)
Simic: “Kurti's regime imprisons Serbs without grounds, and releases Albanians who attempt kidnapping” (TV Most)
Botsan-Kharchenko: There is nothing from dialogue on normalization under auspices of EU (Kosovo Online, Vecernje Novosti)
Trial in absentia of three more Serbs accused of war crimes (Kontakt plus radio)
Four new cases of domestic violence in Kosovo (KoSSev)
Vucic: Situation regarding NIS not easy, Russian representatives understood our position (Tanjug)

International:

Leading in a volatile region: Türkiye, NATO, and the stakes in Kosovo (TRT World)
EU chief urges Serbia’s Vucic to ‘get concrete’ on rule-of-law reforms (BIRN)

Humanitarian:

Osmani donates oncology packages to women who battle breast cancer (media)

Albanian Language Media

Vetevendosje supports Tirana protest: The KLA war was just (media)

The Vetevendosje Movement has publicly backed the protest set to take place in Tirana on Friday, October 17, in support of former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) currently on trial in The Hague.

In its statement, Vetevendosje reiterated its stance that the war led by the KLA was just and necessary. It denounced the claims by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office that a criminal organization existed within the KLA, calling such assertions "inaccurate and unjust."

The party emphasized that the KLA was not a criminal enterprise, and instead argued that Serbia should be the one on trial for war crimes and genocide committed during the Kosovo war.

Vetevendosje also highlighted the origins of the Specialist Court, recalling that it stemmed from a 2008 initiative led by Russian and European officials, and criticized figures, including Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, for previously lobbying in favor of its establishment.

Asserting that "justice must reveal the truth," the party called on Albania to raise this issue in international forums instead of only protesting domestically. It also urged Kosovo’s international allies to do more to defend the truth about Kosovo’s war and to pursue justice for the crimes committed by Serbia throughout the Balkans.

Rama to VV: Ten years ago, you didn’t even recognize Kosovo’s anthem (media)

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has responded to the Vetevendosje Movement, after the latter said a day earlier that Rama should show remorse because he had influenced the parties’ decision to vote for the establishment of the Specialist Chambers. “I am not in any kind of competition with the Movement, and I regret that it confuses Kosovo’s institutional relations with Albania in the stew of municipal runoffs. As for the positions from ten years ago, when it didn’t even recognize Kosovo’s anthem, let alone the innocence of Hashim Thaci, whom it would have preferred to see permanently in The Hague, I remind the Movement that the Special Court was established for organ trafficking, not to take the President of the Republic of Kosovo hostage,” Rama wrote on X.

Rama implied that he will not join the protest because, according to him, it might become politicized. “And finally, I am neither an organizer nor a speaker at the nationwide protest ‘Justice for the Liberators’, which I wholeheartedly support and would join as a simple participant, if I weren’t aware that any politicization, intentional or not, of that initiative would harm its purpose and popularity,” he said.

KLA War Veterans: Protest in Tirana a protest of Albanians, not of political parties (RTK)

The Organization of KLA War Veterans said in a statement today that the protest in Tirana, Albania, on Friday in support of former KLA leaders in the Hague, is an Albanian protest and not a protest of political parties. They argued that a statement issued by the Vetevendosje Movement on Thursday evening shows that this party is trying to politicize and dim the goal of the big protest. “There is no political force that can stop or appropriate this voice … We don’t want political rhetoric; we want justice for our combatants and punishment for Serbia’s crimes. The protest in Tirana is a protest of the nation, and not of parties. There will be thousands of Albanians from all lands, to show that the KLA is the honor of the nation and there is no court that can stain it,” the statement notes.

The KLA War Veterans expressed appreciation for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Albanian institutions for supporting their cause and protest.

NATO’s Rutte responds to Vucic’s war rhetoric: The Balkans are in focus (Klan)

Klan Kosova journalist Liridon Zeqiri, reporting from the NATO Defence Ministers Summit, questioned NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about recent remarks by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who claimed that “war is coming and everyone is preparing for it.” Zeqiri said Rutte’s response was brief but pointed: “The Western Balkans are in NATO’s focus.”

According to Zeqiri, the summit's agenda focused more broadly on the Western Balkans rather than specifically addressing Vucic’s statements. Interpreting Rutte’s tone, Zeqiri suggested that such inflammatory remarks by Vucic may not be taken very seriously by NATO.

The summit’s main topic, he added, was strengthening support for Ukraine in its efforts to expel Russian forces. Rutte emphasized that all NATO member states had agreed to increase resources following a call by U.S. President Donald Trump to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, a message echoed since the NATO summit in The Hague earlier this year.

Serbian List addresses Constitutional Court again (media)

Several news websites report that the Serbian List has filed another complaint with the Constitutional Court about the election of the deputy speaker from the Kosovo Serb community, claiming that the Constitution, the regulation on the work of the Assembly, and an earlier ruling by the Constitutional Court were violated. “We have also asked for a temporary measure to stop the anti-constitutional actions that may cause irreversible damage,” the Serbian List said in a statement.

News websites note that the new Kosovo Assembly was constituted on October 10 with the election of Nenad Rasic as deputy speaker from the Serb community.

KSF vehicles entered the north by mistake, police and KSF confirm (media)

Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north of Kosovo, Veton Elshani, has confirmed that several vehicles of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) mistakenly entered the territory of Mitrovica North today, where they stayed for a few minutes at a gas station near the police station.

Elshani confirmed that the vehicles belonged to the KSF and that they spent about five minutes at a gas station, where the police noticed them and asked about the situation. According to Elshani, KSF members replied that they had mistaken their location and thought they were in Mitrovica South. Elshani also emphasized that the KSF members were not armed. When asked by KoSSev how such a mistake in determining the location could happen, he replied that it was a “good question,” but one for the KSF to answer.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Elshani said that accompanied by the police, the KSF vehicles left the north “via the fastest route” passing by a bus station. The news website also notes that the presence of the KSF in the north of Kosovo is possible only with a prior permission by the NATO-led KFOR mission, based on a pledge that the Kosovo Government made to NATO in 2013.

KSF Commander, Bashkim Jashari, told Albanian Post that there will be measures against the KSF members that entered Mitrovica North by mistake. He said they have already contacted the KSF team and that they are preparing measures. “Yes we have contacted them, because our members have mistaken the route. We will explain the whole case how it happened. As far as measures are concerned, these are internal procedures, we are certainly engaged for this and I believe we will get to the necessary points,” he said.

Head of the KSF public information office, Vellazerim Qerimi, told Koha news website that the vehicles entered Mitrovica North by mistake and that they stayed there for several minutes. He said that the convoy was travelling from Istog to the KSF barracks in Mitrovica South. “The Kosovo Security Force informs the public that today, 16.10.2025, at 10:30 hours, during the travel of a KSF convoy from Istog to the KSF barracks in Mitrovica, members of the KSF with vehicles confused the direction,” he said.

Orav, Rudolph discuss importance of continued EU support for Kosovo (media)

EU Ambassador in Kosovo, Aivo Orav, said in a post on X that he met today with the newly appointed German Ambassador to Kosovo, Rainer Rudolph. “We discussed current political developments and the importance of the European Union’s continued support for Kosovo’s progress on its EU integration path, to the benefit of all its citizens,” Orav said.

Haradinaj asks for Germany’s support for Kosovo in NATO and EU (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj met today with the newly appointed German Ambassador to Kosovo, Rainer Rudolph, expressing his readiness for close cooperation on topics that are important for Kosovo. Haradinaj said in a Facebook post that he thanked Rudolph for Germany’s continuous and outstanding support for Kosovo’s freedom, independence and development. “At the same time, I commended Germany’s crucial role for security in Kosovo. I asked for his and Germany’s support for our commitment to join NATO and the European Union,” he said.

“Serbian List, a champion of violations and fines during election campaign” (media)

Gazeta Express and Ekonomia Online report that the Elections Complains and Appeals Panel (ECAP) has issued a total of €118,700 in fines for political parties for violating the Code of Conduct during the campaign for the October 12 local elections. Based on the ECAP registry, the party that committed the most violations is the Serbian List and it leads with fines totaling to €60,600. The highest fine issued to the party, €30,000, was because of a speech by SL leader Zlatan Elek who referred to Gracanica as “the Serbian heart that beats for all of us in Kosovo and Metohija”. The panel said the speech was denigrating and hateful and that its use undermines the democratic election process. “The panel rules that such statements in the election context and the ethnic sensitivity in the Republic of Kosovo can have a negative impact, and the words that were used create an unsafe environment and violate the principles of a positive campaign and respect between parties taking part in the elections,” the decision noted.

The second party that received the highest fines for electoral violations, according to ECAP, was the initiative led by Sokol Halili in Skenderaj. Halili continuously compared his counter candidate from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Sami Lushtaku, with the chief responsible for the terrorist attack in Banjska, Milan Radoicic. Halili’s party, the Civic Initiative for Skenderaj, was fined 13,000.

The Democratic League of Kosovo also received a high number of fines mainly for placing posters and running their campaign in public institutions. The LDK is followed by the Vetevendosje Movement with €8,300, the Democratic Party of Kosovo with €4,300, “For Freedom, Justice and Survival” with €4,000, and so on.

Police confirm arrest over false medical reports in Kllokot elections (Telegrafi)

The news website reports that local elections in the municipality of Kllokot were not without incidents, after reports that some people tried to assist others during the voting process. Mayoral candidate, Arber Emini, told the news website that the Serbian List had used false medical reports to influence the election process.

Telegrafi then contacted the Kosovo Police spokesperson for the Gjilan region who confirmed that a woman had been arrested. “On October 12, in Kllokot, a female suspect was arrested on suspicion of issuing medical reports for assistance during the voting process,” the spokesperson said. “The suspect was interviewed in the presence of her attorney on suspicion of having committed the criminal offence ‘Violating the free decision of voters’. Further investigative actions were taken in coordination with the State Prosecutor, while the case is being treated in regular court proceedings”.

Telegrafi tried to contact Serbian List representatives in the municipality but received no response.

Krasniqi: I had big dilemma whether to speak publicly about the violence I experienced (TeVe1)

Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, a survivor of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, who was the first person to publicly speak about experience, said that even one day before deciding to speak out she was faced with a big dilemma. “It was very difficult, and it is still difficult to this day. I had a lot of questions whether I go through with it,” she said during the marking of the 26th anniversary of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims (KRCT).

KRCT Director Feride Rushiti said that Krasniqi-Goodman was the one that broke the silence.

Ramadan Nishori, the first man in Kosovo to publicly testify about surviving sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, said that “Vasfije is our strength and courage”. “I have thought about what I had to go through before coming to your organization, the challenges I faced, and then I thought that there are many other survivors who are going through the same experience as me. Allow me to commend our living hero, Vasfije. Vasfije is our strength and courage and I got strength and courage from Vasfije,” she said.

The news website notes that based on data from civil society organizations, there were around 20,000 victims of sexual violence during the war of 1998-1999 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Dacic: "No cooperation with so-called Kosovo police, because we do not recognize unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo" (RTS, Danas, FoNet)

Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dacic said the main essence of interior ministers’ meeting in London within the framework of the Berlin Process was to establish better international operational cooperation and exchange of information between the participants of that process in the fight against all forms of crime, adding there can be no operational cooperation and exchange of operational data with representatives of ''the so-called Kosovo police'', because Serbia does not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

"What I insisted on was that there could be no operational cooperation, or rather no exchange of operational data, with representatives of the so-called ‘Republic of Kosovo’, because we do not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and in accordance with the documents that were adopted and the decisions that were adopted at the beginning of this process, which was in 2014, participation in these gatherings is status-neutral, meaning with names and surnames, without any state symbols and there are no flags in the hall," said Dacic, reported RTS, citing the MIA statement.

The minister added he always refused to take photos where the flags of Pristina institutions are displayed, because he did not want to give legitimacy, on behalf of Serbia, to ''any of their state symbols'', emphasizing he did not participate in it this time either. Dacic emphasized that this activity was very successful and added:

"I have clearly stated all this that we believe that we cooperate with the so-called Kosovo police in accordance with previously signed agreements, through EULEX and through Interpol, that there is no direct cooperation, nor will there be, until our relations are resolved," Dacic stressed.

Three sessions at the London gathering

Dacic said during his participation in the gathering in London, he pointed out the difficult position of the Serbian people and the terror being carried out against Serbs, as well as the 702 ethnically motivated incidents that occurred during the rule of Albin Kurti.

"All of this is being carried out, and the terror that is being carried out, precisely by members of the internal affairs, or the so-called Kosovo police", said Minister Dacic.

Dacic also said this year there were three sessions, one of which was dedicated to migration and all the problems arising from it, emphasizing that for Great Britain this represents a major problem.

"The second topic was the fight against exploitation and violence against girls and women, and the third topic was the fight against organized crime," the minister explained.

At the summit, which was attended by EU member states such as Germany, France, Italy, Croatia and Slovenia, in addition to the Western Balkans, Minister Dacic emphasized that better mutual cooperation, and especially operational cooperation and exchange of information, is crucial, because the fight against crime cannot be successful without international cooperation.

"I participated in the past two days at the meeting, within the framework of the Berlin Process, for ministers of interior, chaired by the minister or as they call it, State Secretary for Interior, Shabana Mahmood and this is a continuation of a process that began in 2014, with additional topics being put on the agenda every year", Dacic said.

Kosovo Security Force vehicles briefly enter North Mitrovica - police say it was a mistake (KoSSev)

Several Kosovo Security Force (KSF) vehicles entered North Mitrovica late this morning, driving through part of the town’s main street before stopping at a gas station near the “Srez” area. They stayed there for several minutes before leaving. Kosovo police later said the incident occurred “by mistake”, KoSSev portal reported.

According to multiple eyewitnesses who contacted KoSSev, the convoy - consisting of nearly ten vehicles, including several Humvees and three or four empty trucks - was seen passing through the main King Petar Street shortly before 10:30 a.m.

The KSF members reportedly remained parked near the gas station, located close to the main police station, for about five to ten minutes. “At first we couldn’t tell what kind of vehicles they were; we thought they were KFOR, but soon the KSF markings became visible, and drivers on the road started honking”, witnesses told KoSSev.

Police: They got lost

Deputy police commander for the North region, Veton Elshani, confirmed that the vehicles belonged to the Kosovo Security Force. He said, however, that they remained at the gas station for only about five minutes.

“Police officers noticed them, approached, and asked what was going on. They told us they had mistaken the location and thought they were in South Mitrovica”, Elshani told KoSSev. He added that the KSF personnel were not armed.

Asked how a formation like the KSF could confuse North and South Mitrovica — towns separated by the Ibar River — Elshani replied that this was “a good question, but one for the KSF.”

KoSSev has reached out to KFOR for comment. Under current regulations, Kosovo Security Force units are not allowed to enter the northern municipalities without explicit permission from the KFOR commander.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/Y4xxe

Office for KiM: KSF in north a serious threat for Serbs, international community to react urgently (Kosovo Online, media)

“Sending the KSF to Mitrovica North is a direct violation of a firm guarantees from NATO that they (KSF) must not step on the north of Kosovo without KFOR’s permission”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija said today following the news that KSF convoy entered Mitrovica North and stayed briefly near the central gas station in this city.

The Office for KiM also said “this represents a serious threat for the Serbian people in the north”. The Office also demanded urgent reaction from the international community and immediate withdrawal of KSF from the north, as well as clear reaction from KFOR and response as to who allowed and who permitted KSF to enter the north.

The Office for KiM recalled the written guarantees that KSF must not enter the north without approval from KFOR, which also Kosovo Prime Minister in technical mandate Albin Kurti confirmed.

As the Office said “this morning (Albin) Kurti sent two KSF trucks and four Humvees to the north, in Mitrovica North and that vehicles were recorded at the entry to this city, near the gas station”. The Office accused Kurti of sending the KSF to the north one day after the visit of European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen who requested Pristina to urgently de-escalate the situation in the north, thus once again making an escalatory step turning a deaf ear to requests of EU and international community.

The Office also said Kurti sent KSF to the north following bad results on local elections and victory of Serbian List, in particular in the north, sending a clear message he wishes neither peace nor coexistence, but new persecution of Serbs.

Serbian List: Arrival of KSF to northern Kosovo dangerous provocation, KFOR to increase presence (media)

Serbian List said today’s arrival of KSF members to the north of Kosovo “represents a dangerous provocation and deliberate act, aimed at destabilizing the situation on the ground, as well as inflicting fear and anxiety among Serbian people”, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Serbian List also said KSF presence in the north, without permission of KFOR Commander and without consent of the people living in the north, caused disturbance among the Serbian population and heightened the tensions.

They requested KFOR to increase vigilance and presence of their forces in all Serbian areas in the north, in order to prevent new attempts and protect peace and security of all people.

“It has become obvious that the outgoing regime in Pristina this way attempts to cause tensions and conflicts, in order to divert public attention from their failures and elevate their shaken political position among its constituencies”, Serbian List said.

The Serbian List also warned such actions are unacceptable and could have serious consequences for the stability of the region. It once again called upon the international community, foremost KFOR, to act in line with mandate and prevent reoccurrence of such incidents.

SL filed a complaint with Constitutional Court in Pristina over manner of election of Serbian Deputy Speaker of Assembly (Tanjug, media)

The Serbian List (SL) filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court in Pristina regarding the method of electing the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from the Serbian community and requested the introduction of a temporary measure to stop, as it was pointed out, unconstitutional actions that can cause irreparable damage, reported Tanjug.

The vice-president of the Serbian List, Igor Simic, said he filed a complaint on behalf of 10 deputies of the ninth convocation of the assembly due to the illegal election and imposition of the vice-president of the assembly on a seat that belongs to the Serbian people, by the regime of Albin Kurti.

Simic said in the request, all violations of the constitution, the rules of procedure for the work of the assembly, as well as the decision of the constitutional court were listed in detail and precisely.

Simic: “Kurti's regime imprisons Serbs without grounds, and releases Albanians who attempt kidnapping” (TV Most)

Serbian List vice-president Igor Simic said last night “Albin Kurti’s regime, while holding dozens of Serbs in prison without grounds, is releasing Albanians who tried to kidnap a Serbian girl in Mali Zvecan”, TV Most reported.

"While Kurti's regime is holding dozens of Serbs in prison without grounds, it is releasing Albanians who tried to kidnap a Serbian girl in Mali Zvecan, as well as Azem Kurtaj, who shot Serbian children in Gotovusa on Christmas Eve", Simic said on in a post on Instagram.

He also published an article from the media quoting the girl's mother as saying that following decision of Basic Court in Mitrovica to reclassify the act of attempted kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl into an attack, as well as release two suspects from custody, she fears for safety of her children and is afraid the incident may reoccur.

Botsan-Kharchenko: There is nothing from dialogue on normalization under auspices of EU (Kosovo Online, Vecernje Novosti)

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said Russia believes the issue of Kosovo should return under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council because, as he pointed out, it is now completely clear there is nothing out of the dialogue on normalization under the auspices of the EU.

In an interview with Vecernje Novosti, Russian Ambassador reafirrmed Serbia can still count on Moscow's support in the UN Security Council regarding Kosovo, where a regular session on the situation in Kosovo will be held next week.

Russia's position on the issue of Kosovo, as he said, is consistent and firm, based on international law and a friendly relationship towards Serbia.

"We want to provide help in every situation, especially when it comes to the Kosovo problem. Kurti is carrying out a creeping ethnic cleansing of Serbs in the north, and in other parts of Kosovo there are attacks on the religious facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church. And at this meeting we will say everything we think and what we are looking for. First of all, we believe that the Kosovo issue should return to the auspices of the Security Council and the UN, because it is now completely clear that there is nothing to do with the dialogue on normalization under the auspices of the EU. There has been no implementation of key agreements, first of all the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities", said Botsan - Kharchenko, reported Kosovo Online.

Trial in absentia of three more Serbs accused of war crimes (Kontakt plus radio)

The Basic Court in Pristina scheduled a preliminary hearing against three accused Serbs - Ljubomir Cimburovic, Predrag Bradic and Milivoje Ivic, for alleged war crimes against the civilian population, reported Kontakt plus radio.

The special department of the Basic Court in Pristina has scheduled a preliminary hearing in the criminal case brought against Cimburovic, Bradic and Ivic on December 22, 2025 in the Basic Court in Pristina.

As stated in the announcement, "the defendants are charged with the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population".

At the proposal of the Special Prosecutor's Office, the trial will be held in the absence of the accused since they were unavailable to the Kosovo authorities until the indictment was filed.

Four new cases of domestic violence in Kosovo (KoSSev)

Four new cases of domestic violence have been reported in Kosovo yesterday, KoSSev portal reported. The cases were registered in Pristina, Decani, Djakovica and Vucitrn, Kosovo police said.

In Pristina brothers were arrested, upon physical acceleration following the verbal dispute. One was kept in detention; the other was released. The case goes in regular proceedings. In Decane a woman reported being assaulted by a man. She received medical treatment, sustaining slight bodily injuries. Man is currently at large. In Djakovica a man was arrested upon constant harassment of his wife. He was detained. In Vucitrn, a woman reported being physically assaulted by her husband, following the dispute. She received medical treatment, while the husband was released after the hearing.

Vucic: Situation regarding NIS not easy, Russian representatives understood our position (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday the situation regarding Serbia's Russian majority-owned oil company NIS was "not easy" and that Russian representatives had understood Belgrade's position and expressed the hope they would act accordingly, Tanjug news agency reported.

At a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Belgrade, Vucic said Serbia was not in talks with potential buyers of NIS as it was not the company's owner. "We are not communists", he noted.

International

Leading in a volatile region: Türkiye, NATO, and the stakes in Kosovo (TRT World)

Türkiye’s renewed leadership of the NATO Kosovo Force highlights its role as a stabilising power in the Balkans, while showcasing NATO’s evolving priorities amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

On October 3, Türkiye resumed command of the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR), a move that highlights both the country’s growing regional influence and NATO’s evolving strategic priorities in a Europe reshaped by the Russia-Ukraine war.

This strategic duty underscores the complex interplay of national interests, alliance solidarity, and the evolving geopolitical landscape, where the specter of the Russia-Ukraine war has reshaped priorities and exposed vulnerabilities within the global security architecture.

Türkiye, through its leadership role in KFOR, plays a crucial role in maintaining stability in the Balkans, an area historically prone to external influence and ethnic tensions. The region has seen persistent friction between ethnic Albanian and Serb communities, particularly in northern Kosovo.

Regarding the strategic importance of the Balkans in broader NATO defence strategies, its leadership role places Türkiye as a key player in bridging potential splits between European and transatlantic security perceptions, while also providing an opportunity to demonstrate its strategic placement in effectively balancing its relationships with both NATO and Russia.

This leadership enhances Türkiye’s assistance to joint security operations and positions it as a key player in shaping NATO’s future cohesion and deterrence capabilities amid renewed great power competition.