American professor Charles Kupchan says Kosovo may have a better chance of joining NATO before becoming a member of the European Union, though both paths currently face significant obstacles.
In an interview, Kupchan—who previously served in the administration of Barack Obama—described recent initiatives in Washington supporting Kosovo’s NATO membership as largely symbolic at this stage.
He referred to a resolution introduced by U.S. congressmen Keith Self, Ritchie Torres, and Mike Lawler, saying it reflects political intent but has limited immediate impact.
According to Kupchan, several factors are currently blocking progress: the pause in NATO enlargement policies under Donald Trump, internal political instability in Kosovo, and the stalled dialogue with Serbia.
“In these conditions, any progress toward NATO or EU membership is off the table for now,” he noted.
Recognition linked to normalization with Serbia
Kupchan also addressed the issue of non-recognition by four NATO members—Greece, Romania, Spain, and Slovakia.
He suggested that these countries are unlikely to move toward recognizing Kosovo’s independence until relations between Pristina and Belgrade are normalized or close to resolution.
“I expect these four NATO members to move forward with recognition only once Kosovo and Serbia are at or near normalization,” Kupchan said.
NATO path potentially faster than EU
Despite current challenges, Kupchan believes Kosovo could eventually join both NATO and the EU—but not at the same pace.
“NATO membership could come first, as EU accession requires far more extensive political and economic reforms,” he explained.
The U.S. resolution also argues that Kosovo’s NATO membership would strengthen regional stability and act as a deterrent against destabilizing influences in the Balkans.
