Switzerland is planning to extend the deployment of its military personnel in Kosovo until the end of 2029, arguing that the NATO-led peacekeeping mission should remain in place until relations between Kosovo and Serbia are normalized.
The Council of States, the upper chamber of the Swiss Parliament, approved a federal decree to extend the mandate with 37 votes in favor, 2 against, and 4 abstentions.
Through this decree, the Swiss Federal Council is requesting the Federal Assembly of Switzerland to prolong the mission while maintaining the current number of deployed troops.
However, the Council also wants to retain the option to increase the contingent by up to 30 additional soldiers if the security situation deteriorates and the NATO mission requests further support.
The deployment must be approved by Parliament under Swiss law. Following the vote in the Council of States, the proposal will now be reviewed by the National Council of Switzerland, the lower chamber of Parliament.
Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister said that the situation in Kosovo is currently calm, but warned that it remains fragile, particularly in the northern part of the country where ethnic tensions persist.
Since October 1999, the Swiss Armed Forces have participated in the Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping mission through their Swisscoy contingent. The maximum current deployment stands at 215 personnel, while the existing mandate is set to expire at the end of 2026.
According to Swiss authorities, serious security incidents in 2023 prompted NATO to reinforce KFOR twice, and both NATO and participating countries believe that the mission should remain in Kosovo until relations between Kosovo and Serbia are normalized.
