Acting Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti reaffirmed Kosovo’s strong ties with the United States on Thursday, saying the country would “always stand with America” because of its commitment to freedom and democracy.
Kurti made the remarks while paying tribute at the “Kosova Kujton” memorial in Prishtina, dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.
“Kosovo stands alongside the United States not only because the United States has never abandoned Kosovo. We stand, and will always stand, with America because our commitment to freedom and democracy, and our determination to defend these values, is unwavering,” Kurti said.
He described the September 11 attacks as one of the most devastating attacks in U.S. history and said their consequences continued to be felt 25 years later.
“Twenty-five years ago, the United States suffered the deadliest attack in its history, and the world experienced one of the gravest assaults on democratic values,” Kurti said.
He noted that four passenger planes were turned into weapons during the attacks, killing 2,977 people that day. Kurti also pointed to the longer-term health consequences suffered by survivors and others exposed to the attacks.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the September 11 attacks, when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial aircraft. Two were deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, one struck the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew attempted to retake control.
Kurti’s remarks underscored Kosovo’s continued emphasis on its strategic partnership with Washington and its longstanding political and security ties with the United States.
