Serbia Kosovo Nato Pledges To Step Up If Tensions Escalate

NATO will increase its peacekeeping force in Kosovo if tensions with neighboring Serbia escalate, the alliance’s chief said on Wednesday, ahead of EU-facilitated talks between the estranged western Balkan neighbors. “We now have a significant mission, a military presence in Kosovo of almost 4,000 troops,” Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, who stood by him. “If necessary, we will move forces, deploy them where needed and increase our presence. We have already increased the presence in the north. We are ready to do more.” Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this month when Pristina said it would force Serbs living in the north, whom Belgrade supports and do not recognize Kosovo’s institutions, to start using Pristina-issued car number plates. The situation calmed down when Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, under pressure from the US and the European Union, agreed to delay the license plate rule until September 1, and NATO peacekeepers oversaw the removal of Serb roadblocks. However, Vucic told the NATO press conference that talks with Kurti on Thursday, which will be facilitated by the EU, will be difficult because the two sides disagree on almost everything. Kurti, who met Stoltenberg later, underlined Kosovo’s determination to join NATO. “The threats, risks and challenges facing NATO in the current security environment are also being felt by our country,” he told reporters, linking the problems to Russia’s influence. “The institutions and citizens of Kosovo in the current situation have reasons to be vigilant about (the) destructive approach of our northern neighbor towards Kosovo and the region in general under Russia’s damaging agenda for Europe and the Balkans.” Kosovo won independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a rebel uprising against Belgrade’s repressive rule. Serbia legally still considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory. It denies stoking tensions and conflicts there and accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs. Serbs make up 5 percent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million population, which is 90 percent Albanian. Vucic said Serbia wanted to avoid any escalation of the situation, but it was important to understand that there is “a new generation of young men” who see Kosovo as Serbian territory and will no longer “endure terror”. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

title: “Serbia Kosovo Nato Pledges To Step Up If Tensions Escalate Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Carol Brunelle”

NATO will increase its peacekeeping force in Kosovo if tensions with neighboring Serbia escalate, the alliance’s chief said on Wednesday, ahead of EU-facilitated talks between the estranged western Balkan neighbors. “We now have a significant mission, a military presence in Kosovo of almost 4,000 troops,” Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, who stood by him. “If necessary, we will move forces, deploy them where needed and increase our presence. We have already increased the presence in the north. We are ready to do more.” Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this month when Pristina said it would force Serbs living in the north, whom Belgrade supports and do not recognize Kosovo’s institutions, to start using Pristina-issued car number plates. The situation calmed down when Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, under pressure from the US and the European Union, agreed to delay the license plate rule until September 1, and NATO peacekeepers oversaw the removal of Serb roadblocks. However, Vucic told the NATO press conference that talks with Kurti on Thursday, which will be facilitated by the EU, will be difficult because the two sides disagree on almost everything. Kurti, who met Stoltenberg later, underlined Kosovo’s determination to join NATO. “The threats, risks and challenges facing NATO in the current security environment are also being felt by our country,” he told reporters, linking the problems to Russia’s influence. “The institutions and citizens of Kosovo in the current situation have reasons to be vigilant about (the) destructive approach of our northern neighbor towards Kosovo and the region in general under Russia’s damaging agenda for Europe and the Balkans.” Kosovo won independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a rebel uprising against Belgrade’s repressive rule. Serbia legally still considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory. It denies stoking tensions and conflicts there and accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs. Serbs make up 5 percent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million population, which is 90 percent Albanian. Vucic said Serbia wanted to avoid any escalation of the situation, but it was important to understand that there is “a new generation of young men” who see Kosovo as Serbian territory and will no longer “endure terror”. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

title: “Serbia Kosovo Nato Pledges To Step Up If Tensions Escalate Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Paul Offerdahl”

NATO will increase its peacekeeping force in Kosovo if tensions with neighboring Serbia escalate, the alliance’s chief said on Wednesday, ahead of EU-facilitated talks between the estranged western Balkan neighbors. “We now have a significant mission, a military presence in Kosovo of almost 4,000 troops,” Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, who stood by him. “If necessary, we will move forces, deploy them where needed and increase our presence. We have already increased the presence in the north. We are ready to do more.” Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this month when Pristina said it would force Serbs living in the north, whom Belgrade supports and do not recognize Kosovo’s institutions, to start using Pristina-issued car number plates. The situation calmed down when Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, under pressure from the US and the European Union, agreed to delay the license plate rule until September 1, and NATO peacekeepers oversaw the removal of Serb roadblocks. However, Vucic told the NATO press conference that talks with Kurti on Thursday, which will be facilitated by the EU, will be difficult because the two sides disagree on almost everything. Kurti, who met Stoltenberg later, underlined Kosovo’s determination to join NATO. “The threats, risks and challenges facing NATO in the current security environment are also being felt by our country,” he told reporters, linking the problems to Russia’s influence. “The institutions and citizens of Kosovo in the current situation have reasons to be vigilant about (the) destructive approach of our northern neighbor towards Kosovo and the region in general under Russia’s damaging agenda for Europe and the Balkans.” Kosovo won independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a rebel uprising against Belgrade’s repressive rule. Serbia legally still considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory. It denies stoking tensions and conflicts there and accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs. Serbs make up 5 percent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million population, which is 90 percent Albanian. Vucic said Serbia wanted to avoid any escalation of the situation, but it was important to understand that there is “a new generation of young men” who see Kosovo as Serbian territory and will no longer “endure terror”. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

title: “Serbia Kosovo Nato Pledges To Step Up If Tensions Escalate Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Vanessa Brandl”

NATO will increase its peacekeeping force in Kosovo if tensions with neighboring Serbia escalate, the alliance’s chief said on Wednesday, ahead of EU-facilitated talks between the estranged western Balkan neighbors. “We now have a significant mission, a military presence in Kosovo of almost 4,000 troops,” Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, who stood by him. “If necessary, we will move forces, deploy them where needed and increase our presence. We have already increased the presence in the north. We are ready to do more.” Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this month when Pristina said it would force Serbs living in the north, whom Belgrade supports and do not recognize Kosovo’s institutions, to start using Pristina-issued car number plates. The situation calmed down when Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, under pressure from the US and the European Union, agreed to delay the license plate rule until September 1, and NATO peacekeepers oversaw the removal of Serb roadblocks. However, Vucic told the NATO press conference that talks with Kurti on Thursday, which will be facilitated by the EU, will be difficult because the two sides disagree on almost everything. Kurti, who met Stoltenberg later, underlined Kosovo’s determination to join NATO. “The threats, risks and challenges facing NATO in the current security environment are also being felt by our country,” he told reporters, linking the problems to Russia’s influence. “The institutions and citizens of Kosovo in the current situation have reasons to be vigilant about (the) destructive approach of our northern neighbor towards Kosovo and the region in general under Russia’s damaging agenda for Europe and the Balkans.” Kosovo won independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a rebel uprising against Belgrade’s repressive rule. Serbia legally still considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory. It denies stoking tensions and conflicts there and accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs. Serbs make up 5 percent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million population, which is 90 percent Albanian. Vucic said Serbia wanted to avoid any escalation of the situation, but it was important to understand that there is “a new generation of young men” who see Kosovo as Serbian territory and will no longer “endure terror”. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

title: “Serbia Kosovo Nato Pledges To Step Up If Tensions Escalate Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-14” author: “John Rowland”

NATO will increase its peacekeeping force in Kosovo if tensions with neighboring Serbia escalate, the alliance’s chief said on Wednesday, ahead of EU-facilitated talks between the estranged western Balkan neighbors. “We now have a significant mission, a military presence in Kosovo of almost 4,000 troops,” Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, who stood by him. “If necessary, we will move forces, deploy them where needed and increase our presence. We have already increased the presence in the north. We are ready to do more.” Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this month when Pristina said it would force Serbs living in the north, whom Belgrade supports and do not recognize Kosovo’s institutions, to start using Pristina-issued car number plates. The situation calmed down when Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, under pressure from the US and the European Union, agreed to delay the license plate rule until September 1, and NATO peacekeepers oversaw the removal of Serb roadblocks. However, Vucic told the NATO press conference that talks with Kurti on Thursday, which will be facilitated by the EU, will be difficult because the two sides disagree on almost everything. Kurti, who met Stoltenberg later, underlined Kosovo’s determination to join NATO. “The threats, risks and challenges facing NATO in the current security environment are also being felt by our country,” he told reporters, linking the problems to Russia’s influence. “The institutions and citizens of Kosovo in the current situation have reasons to be vigilant about (the) destructive approach of our northern neighbor towards Kosovo and the region in general under Russia’s damaging agenda for Europe and the Balkans.” Kosovo won independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a rebel uprising against Belgrade’s repressive rule. Serbia legally still considers Kosovo an integral part of its territory. It denies stoking tensions and conflicts there and accuses Pristina of trampling on the rights of minority Serbs. Serbs make up 5 percent of Kosovo’s 1.8 million population, which is 90 percent Albanian. Vucic said Serbia wanted to avoid any escalation of the situation, but it was important to understand that there is “a new generation of young men” who see Kosovo as Serbian territory and will no longer “endure terror”. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)