NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has reaffirmed that the Alliance’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in Kosovo will remain unchanged, regardless of developments surrounding the upcoming verdict in the case against four former senior Kosovo Liberation Army figures.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague are expected to deliver their verdict on September 16 in the trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary speakers Jakup Krasniqi and Kadri Veseli, and former MP Rexhep Selimi. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the ten charges of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Responding to questions about the possibility of unrest following the verdict, Rutte stressed that NATO’s KFOR mission remains in Kosovo to help preserve stability and maintain a secure environment.
He noted that the NATO-led peacekeeping force has played a role in Kosovo for more than two decades, contributing to the establishment and maintenance of conditions for lasting security and stability.
Rutte also said NATO would continue assessing the size and deployment of KFOR troops according to the security situation on the ground, allowing the mission to adapt if circumstances change.
The NATO chief emphasized that developments in Kosovo could have consequences beyond the country itself, potentially affecting stability across the wider Western Balkans.
His comments came only hours after the U.S. Embassy in Prishtina advised American citizens to avoid areas where protests are expected to take place on September 16, amid heightened attention surrounding the Hague verdict.
