Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has confirmed that Türkiye will continue leading NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) until the end of September 2026.
Speaking after the conclusion of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s commitment to NATO operations and its role in maintaining regional security.
“We will continue the command of NATO’s KFOR operation in Kosovo, which we took over in October, until the end of September 2026,” Erdoğan said.
He added that Türkiye will also assume command of NATO’s Rapid Reaction Force during the 2028–2029 period, describing his country as one of the Alliance’s key pillars.
According to Erdoğan, Türkiye has the second-largest land force within NATO and has played a crucial role for decades in ensuring security on the Alliance’s southeastern flank.
The Turkish president also described the NATO Summit held in Ankara as a historic meeting, saying that the decisions taken will influence the future of Euro-Atlantic security and strengthen cooperation among member states.
