A NATO official has clarified that the Alliance’s decision to optimize the size of the KFOR mission in Kosovo will not affect existing agreements between NATO and Kosovo, including the longstanding arrangement governing the deployment of the Kosovo Security Force (FSK) in northern Kosovo.
Speaking to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the official emphasized that the planned reduction of KFOR troops is an operational adjustment and does not alter the current framework of cooperation between NATO and Kosovo.
“The optimization process does not affect existing cooperation agreements with Kosovo. The deployment of the FSK in the north remains subject to the current arrangements and the prior approval of the KFOR Commander,” the NATO official stated.
The clarification comes after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that KFOR would gradually return to troop levels that existed before the security tensions of 2023. Under the plan, the mission’s strength is expected to decrease from approximately 4,700 troops to between 3,000 and 3,500 personnel, depending on the security situation on the ground.
The statement is significant because it confirms that NATO’s troop adjustment does not change the requirement that the Kosovo Security Force must obtain prior approval from the KFOR Commander before deploying to northern Kosovo, a condition that has remained in place under existing NATO-Kosovo security arrangements.
NATO continues to describe KFOR as a key contributor to peace, stability, and security in Kosovo and the wider Western Balkans, despite the planned reduction in troop numbers.
