NATO continues to urge Serbian authorities to prosecute all those responsible for the acts of violence in Kosovo during 2023, a NATO official stated on the eve of the alliance’s upcoming summit in The Hague.
“We continue to call on Serbia to ensure that those responsible for the 2023 violence are brought to justice,” the official told reporters.
The reference includes:
The attack on NATO’s peacekeeping mission (KFOR) troops in Zvecan in May 2023, when dozens of peacekeepers were injured.
The armed assault in Banjskë in September 2023, which left one Kosovo police officer dead and escalated regional tensions.
The official emphasized that the Western Balkans remain a region of strategic importance for NATO and that the issue “stands high on the alliance’s agenda.”
“Decades of hard-won peace must not be put at risk. Stability in the region depends on the parties’ willingness to choose dialogue and cooperation over violence. NATO plays a vital military role, but the path to long-term peace is political.”
The alliance reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to security and stability in the Balkans, highlighting its continuous presence in the region since the 1990s. The official warned against any “security vacuum” and stressed NATO’s intention to prevent destabilization.
Furthermore, NATO reiterated its full support for the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina, calling for both sides to approach the talks in good faith.
“We are in close contact with the EU’s new Special Representative for the Dialogue, Peter Sorensen, and expect both parties to engage constructively.”
In response to the 2023 violence, NATO deployed over 1,000 additional troops to Kosovo, significantly reinforcing KFOR’s presence in the north — marking the largest troop increase in over a decade.
The two-day NATO summit in The Hague is expected to focus on:
Increasing defense investment,
Boosting industrial military production,
Providing long-term support to Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump is also expected to push for raising NATO defense spending targets to 5% of GDP, sparking significant debate among member states.
