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Kosovo–NATO relations

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Kosovo–NATO relations
Map indicating locations of NATO and Kosovo

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Politics of Kosovo
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The Republic of Kosovo and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) do not have official bilateral relations. In 1999, NATO conducted a bombing campaign against Yugoslav forces to halt their ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians. Since then, NATO has maintained the Kosovo Force in the country.

Since its independence in 2008, the leadership of Kosovo has repeatedly expressed its desire to join NATO, while public opinion in Kosovo overwhelmingly favors NATO membership. However, four out of NATO's 32 member states do not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state—Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain—impeding accession.

Kosovo's application to join NATO's Partnership for Peace has been pending since 2012.

History

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Main articles: NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Kosovo War, and Kosovo Force

Longstanding tensions existed in Kosovo between the majority ethnic Albanians, who wanted to secede from Yugoslavia and join Albania, and the minority Serbs, who were discriminated against. Under the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution, Kosovo was a largely autonomous province, first as SAPK and then as APKM. In 1989, Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević ended Kosovo's autonomy, exacerbating tensions and contributing to the outbreak of the Kosovo War in 1998.[1]

During the war, Yugoslav forces engaged in the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a series of resolutions condemning Yugoslavia's actions and imposing an arms embargo on it. By June 1998, NATO announced that it would take military action against Yugoslavia if there were no improvement in conditions. In October 1998, NATO authorized airstrikes on the Yugoslav government. Before the airstrikes began, Milošević agreed to withdraw his forces from Kosovo and the airstrikes were called off.[1]

In 1999, the war resumed with even greater intensity against Kosovo Albanians. The United States Ambassador to Yugoslavia warned that unless Yugoslavia ceased attacking Albanians, air strikes were imminent. In March 1999, NATO began an aerial bombing campaign against the FR Yugoslavia government. After two months, Yugoslav forces began to withdraw from Kosovo, NATO and Yugoslavia reached an agreement, and NATO halted the bombing.[1]

Following the passage of UNSC Resolution 1244, in June 1999, 20,000 troops constituting the Kosovo Force (KFOR), a NATO peacekeeping force, entered Kosovo to secure the return of Kosovo Albanian refugees to their homes and to prevent a power vacuum.[1] As of 2024, KFOR remains in Kosovo, with a strength of 4,500 troops.[2]

Kosovo's NATO aspirations

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Since Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, the government of Kosovo has consistently supported joining NATO. Every president of Kosovo has called for the country's accession to NATO. In 2009, Kosovo's first president, Fatmir Sejdiu, stated that becoming a member of NATO, as well as the European Union, was a "major objective" for Kosovo.[3] In July 2012, Kosovo applied to join NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.[4] In 2014, Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj stated that the country's goal was to become a NATO member by 2022.[5]

In 2015, the second president, Atifete Jahjaga, stated that Kosovo was determined to join NATO.[6] In December 2018, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj stated that Kosovo would apply for NATO membership after the formation of the Kosovo Armed Forces.[7] In 2019, the country's third president, Hashim Thaçi, stated that it was "vital" for Kosovo to join NATO and that the country needed to move more quickly toward joining the alliance.[8]

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Defense Minister Armend Mehaj called for Kosovo's accession into NATO to be accelerated.[9] The following month, a supermajority of the country's parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, passed a resolution urging the government to start the process of joining NATO.[10] That month, the fourth president, Vjosa Osmani, also called Kosovo's membership in NATO "imperative" and requested the assistance of the United States in joining.[11] In 2024, Prime Minister Albin Kurti stated that Kosovo's "goal for NATO membership has been clearly communicated; we are daily working towards that goal."[12]

In 2014, Kosovo became an observer member of NATO Parliamentary Assembly, an organization independent of NATO. In 2024, its status was upgraded to associate member.[13]

One impediment to Kosovo's NATO membership is the dispute over its sovereignty. Kosovo is not a member of the United Nations, which is considered necessary for NATO membership.[14] Kosovo is also not recognized as a sovereign state by four NATO member states—Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain, which impedes its accession.[15][16]

Public opinion

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Opinion polls on NATO membership of Kosovo
Dates
conducted 		Pollster Sample
size 		Support Opposed Neutral
or DK 		Lead Ref.
October 2014 KCSS[a] 1,100 88.7% 8.7% 2.6% 80% [17]
September 2021 IRI 1,200 89% 3% 8% 86% [18]
24 February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
February–March 2023 IRI 1,200 95% 2% 4% 93% [19]
May 2024 IRI 1,200 94% 3% 3% 91% [20]

Positions of NATO members

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In 2008, while meeting with the president and prime minister of Kosovo, the president of the United States, George W. Bush, stated that the United States supported Kosovo's membership in NATO.[21]

Positions of non-NATO members

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In September 2024, the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, stated that Serbia will not agree to Kosovo joining NATO.[22]

Kosovo's foreign relations with NATO member states

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Kosovar Center for Security Studies

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Chawla, Shalini (September 2000). "NATO's Response to the Kosovo Crisis". Strategic Analysis: A Monthly Journal of the IDSA. XXIV (6): 1143–1153. doi:10.1080/09700160008455274. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025 – via Columbia International Affairs Online.
  2. ^ "NATO's role in Kosovo". North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 25 April 2025. Archived from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Kosovo has no other vision but to become a member of the EU and NATO". President of Kosovo. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Kosovo seeks to join international organisations". Turkish Weekly. 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Hoxhaj në Mitrovicë, Kosova anëtarësohet në NATO para 2022". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Jahjaga seeks active engagement from US and EU in Kosovo (Koha)". United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Kosovo PM: "After approving army, Kosovo will apply for NATO"". top-channel.tv. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  8. ^ "A Conversation with Hashim Thaçi". Council on Foreign Relations. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Kosovo asks U.S. for permanent military base, speedier NATO membership". Reuters. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Kosovo parliament urges government to start NATO membership bid". Reuters. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Kosovo president asks Washington for help in joining NATO". Reuters. 17 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Can Kosovo join NATO ahead of turn?". Kosovo Online. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Nato Parliamentary Assembly votes to advance Kosovo's status to associate member". bne IntelliNews. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Daily: No NATO membership for Kosovo". 5 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Kosovo question still divides EU". Deutsche Welle. 8 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Kosovo seeks to join international organisations". Turkish Weekly. 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  17. ^ Destination NATO: Kosovo’s Alternatives towards NATO Membership (PDF) (Report). Kosovar Center for Security Studies. May 2015. p. 12. ISBN 978-9951-679-23-7. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Public Opinion Survey: Residents of Kosovo" (PDF). International Republican Institute. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  19. ^ "National Survey of Kosovo | Feb – March 2023". International Republican Institute. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  20. ^ "National Survey of Kosovo | May 2024". International Republican Institute. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  21. ^ Tully, Andrew (22 July 2008). "Bush Backs NATO Membership For Kosovo, Serbia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  22. ^ Zimonjić Jelisavac, Bojana (10 March 2023). "Serbia gives definite 'no' to Kosovo recognition, NATO accession". Euractiv. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
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