Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, who is participating in the World Economic Forum in Davos, stated that it is highly likely that Kosovo will first join NATO, followed by the European Union (EU). Speaking about the path to EU integration, Kurti emphasized that the EU will truly become Europe only after including the Western Balkans within itself.
Kosovo has a high chance of joining NATO before the European Union, Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday during a discussion organized by the Kosovo House at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In a panel alongside Harvard University economics professor Ricardo Hausmann, Kurti outlined the reasons why NATO membership is more achievable in the near future.
“I believe that the European Union is the most important and valuable project for peace and the concept of prosperity in the world, since the Second World War. We want to join both the EU and NATO, because we want both – to benefit and contribute. Initially, it is highly likely that we will join NATO. As we face Russian aggression in Ukraine, which also affects the Balkans, we want to accelerate our NATO membership,” Kurti said. “But we do not want to limit ourselves to NATO membership only; we also want to strengthen ourselves. We have increased our defense spending. Since 2023, we have fulfilled the 2% contribution that member states should allocate.”
Speaking about Kosovo’s path towards EU integration, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the EU is still not Europe.
“We are in Europe, but the European Union needs to become Europe, as it is not yet. With the inclusion of the Western Balkans, the EU will become Europe where we are already,” Kurti pointed out.
While Kurti did not address political changes in the US, economics professor Hausmann discussed the geopolitical implications of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
“The United States has become more unpredictable. When others cannot predict your behavior, everyone becomes more conscious. I think it’s a clear opportunity and solution that Trump has for ending the war in Ukraine, which may not be liked by Europe. Therefore, Europe needs to develop its own defense capabilities. I believe it is possible that Europe could move towards creating a super-army. It has the economy to become a military superpower, the ambition, and the technological capabilities to become a military superpower. Strengthening European identity will be part of the equation,” Hausmann said.
On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Kurti also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Espen Barth Eide. According to the government’s statement, the two discussed shared security challenges, how to address them, and the importance of coordination.
“Prime Minister Kurti also emphasized the importance of Kosovo’s membership in NATO, alongside Kosovo’s alignment with the EU and its member states in condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine and supporting sanctions against Russia,” the government’s statement read.
Prime Minister Kurti’s bilateral meetings on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos continued with Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas.
“First, congratulating his counterpart on his new position and recent election victory, Prime Minister Kurti expressed gratitude to the friendly state of Lithuania for its support to Kosovo, particularly in the field of security through its contribution to the KFOR and EULEX missions, as well as its support for Kosovo’s aspirations for membership in international organizations. While thanking Lithuania for its support in Kosovo’s EU integration process and for its efforts to advance this journey, the Prime Minister also noted that Kosovo has now applied for EU membership and significant steps are needed moving forward,” the government statement stated.
In Davos, EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue, Miroslav Lajčak, is also present. On Tuesday evening, he announced a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, where the topic of discussion was the implementation of agreements and the normalization of relations between the two countries.
“In our last meeting in my current role with President Aleksandar Vučić, I spoke about the situation in the dialogue. I emphasized that the 2023 Ohrid Agreement opened the way forward for normalization. Further progress is in the interest of Serbia, Kosovo, the European Union, and their future,” Lajčak stated.
Vučić wrote on his Instagram account that he had an “open conversation” about the security challenges, which, as he said, “the Serbian people” face in Kosovo.
“An open conversation with Lajčak about the situation in the region, especially the security challenges faced by our people in Kosovo, and the future of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” he wrote, adding that he expects EU member states to “strengthen their engagement and influence” in Kosovo.
Lajčak’s mandate ends by the end of this month, and with the new envoy and the mandate that President Trump has begun, a new phase in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is expected.
