Kosovo has called on the United States to resume their strategic dialogue and support the country’s efforts to join NATO, following meetings between Kosovo’s leaders and US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Dick Durbin during their visit to Prishtina on Monday.
President Justina Shiroka-Pula and Prime Minister Albin Kurti raised the requests during separate meetings with the visiting senators, emphasizing Kosovo’s security priorities and its strategic partnership with Washington.
According to a statement from the Kosovo Presidency, Shiroka-Pula stressed the need for the immediate resumption of the strategic dialogue, describing it as an essential instrument for strengthening bilateral cooperation and advancing shared priorities.
“The president underlined that the Republic of Kosovo’s primary objective remains membership in NATO,” the statement said.
Kurti Seeks NATO Support and Permanent Status for Bondsteel
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he had asked Shaheen and Durbin to support Kosovo’s NATO membership aspirations and the transformation of the US military base at Camp Bondsteel into a permanent American military base.
Kurti also expressed concern over what he described as threatening actions and statements by Serbia, referring to the relationship between former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Milan Radoičić, whom Kurti accused of leading criminal and terrorist activities.
“Peace and security in Kosovo are stable, but the threatening actions and statements of Serbia remain a concern,” Kurti wrote on Facebook, citing what he described as mutual public support between Vučić and Radoičić.
Strategic Dialogue Suspended in 2025
The United States suspended its strategic dialogue with Kosovo on September 12, 2025. At the time, the US Embassy in Prishtina said the decision followed concerns about actions taken by Kosovo’s caretaker government toward Serbian institutions operating in Kosovo.
According to the embassy, those actions had increased tensions and instability and limited Washington’s ability to work productively with Kosovo on shared priorities.
Kosovo’s request for the dialogue to resume comes amid continued efforts to strengthen its relationship with the United States and secure broader international support for its NATO membership ambitions.
