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NATO Secretary General said the mission will return to pre-2023 levels, while the Alliance emphasizes that it remains fully committed to security in Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated this Wednesday in Brussels that the security situation in Kosovo has improved significantly in recent years, making it possible to optimize the presence of the Alliance's peacekeeping mission, KFOR.
During a press conference, Rutte announced that NATO plans to reduce the number of KFOR troops, returning it to the levels it had before 2023.
"...At the moment, you see that KFOR has about 4,700 soldiers. What we will do is return to the levels before 2023. Of course, depending on the circumstances, you will see a KFOR with 3,000 to 3,500 troops. KFOR will continue to be focused on its core mission," Rutte said in a statement to reporters.
The NATO chief's statement comes a few days after the Alliance announced that the security situation in Kosovo has continued to improve, creating the conditions for a reorganization of the international military presence.
In an official announcement, NATO announced that in January of this year it had discontinued the deployment of KFOR reserve forces, after more than two years of continuous rotation.
"NATO and KFOR are fully committed to security in Kosovo," said US Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
According to him, recent developments on the ground have created opportunities for further optimizing the size and presence of the NATO mission in Kosovo.
General Grynkewich also reiterated the Alliance's commitment to the stability of the Western Balkans, describing the region as strategic for NATO and Euro-Atlantic security.
He underlined that NATO will not allow a security vacuum to be created in the region, despite the reduction in military presence.
The optimization of KFOR is being implemented in the year when the mission marks its 27th anniversary. According to NATO, this process is the result of a detailed review and assessment of the security situation, based on intelligence data and the existing authorizations of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
Although the number of troops will be reduced, NATO has made it clear that KFOR's mission will continue to remain focused on ensuring a safe and stable environment for all citizens of Kosovo.
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