Jamie Shea, NATO’s spokesperson during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, has said that Kosovo Force (KFOR) should remain in Kosovo until the country becomes a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
He cited ongoing tensions and “noises” from Serbia as key reasons why the force should continue its presence.
“KFOR is still necessary because tensions persist in Kosovo. We had the incident in Banjska three years ago, and we see Serbia occasionally making threatening moves by deploying troops near the border with Kosovo, so KFOR is still needed there,” Shea said in an interview with Klan Kosova.
He added that KFOR not only ensures security for Kosovo Albanians but also for the Serb minority in the north, emphasizing that the peacekeeping force protects all communities.
“We can adjust troop levels depending on the security situation, but KFOR troops should remain in Kosovo until the day it joins NATO. This would ensure a smoother transition. As long as KFOR is there, Kosovo remains on NATO’s radar, which is important for receiving the necessary attention from Brussels,” he noted.
According to Shea, KFOR’s presence also provides valuable opportunities for the Kosovo Security Force to train and further develop in line with NATO standards.
“The presence of KFOR offers the Kosovo Security Force valuable training and exercises, helping achieve interoperability with NATO. It’s like a tennis player having a coach living nearby—this accelerates Kosovo’s integration into NATO, which I strongly support,” he said.
He concluded that maintaining KFOR is not a difficult task for NATO in terms of troop numbers or costs, noting that the mission has played a crucial role in preserving stability in the Western Balkans and should remain in place until Kosovo joins the alliance.
