Former Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj emphasized that the upcoming U.S. presidential election should be seen as a strategic opportunity for Kosovo, highlighting the new president’s previous role in NATO enlargement in the Balkans.
“We have a U.S. president who should be viewed in Kosovo as an opportunity, because in his first term he integrated North Macedonia and Montenegro into NATO and left a concrete legacy in the Balkans regarding NATO expansion. There is a Senate and Congress that are extremely pro-NATO enlargement,” Hoxhaj said.
Hoxhaj warned that security dynamics in Europe are accelerating, while developments in Ukraine remain unpredictable.
“We live in a time when Russia gains a division every month, and the war in Ukraine may end this year—or perhaps in 2030. This could lead to a situation with an even broader war,” he said.
Recalling his earlier warnings about the Ukraine war, Hoxhaj stressed that global tensions could also affect Kosovo.
“I was among those who spoke a year before the war in Ukraine that a conflict could occur, and I fear that this international political situation could complicate matters, and we may continue the internal struggles we have observed throughout 2025 and into 2026,” he said.
Hoxhaj added that European countries are already preparing for defense, meaning Kosovo needs political and strategic clarity.
“Europe is preparing for defense. Therefore, I think whoever can lead the government, what electoral platform we have, and what new way of thinking we adopt in 2025 will depend on whether this country has a responsible political class capable of taking charge in 2026,” he emphasized.
