During her official visit to Finland, the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, held a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, where she expressed deep gratitude for Finland’s historic and ongoing support for Kosovo.
“I am particularly honored to be in Finland, the birthplace of the late [Martti] Ahtisaari, a towering figure of peace, whose leadership helped pave the way to Kosovo’s freedom and independence. His legacy remains deeply woven into the very fabric of our republic,” President Osmani stated at the beginning of her remarks.
Highlighting the strong bond between the two countries, she emphasized that the people of Kosovo will always carry deep appreciation for what Ahtisaari and Finland have done for Kosovo. She noted that this friendship is not only rooted in the past but is alive, growing, and focused on the future.
“We are proud to call you one of our closest partners, and Finland’s support has been longstanding, including its contributions to the KFOR mission. Over 7,000 Finnish soldiers — men and women — have helped preserve peace and stability in our region,” she added, announcing that she will have the honor of awarding the Presidential Military Medal to the Finnish Armed Forces as a high recognition of their support in the KFOR mission.
President Osmani shared that she and her Finnish counterpart had a productive discussion on building even closer relations between the two nations, drawing parallels between the historical struggles of both peoples in their fight for freedom.
“As two countries that have faced historical oppression, we deeply understand the value of freedom. This is why both Kosovo and Finland have stood firmly with Ukraine from day one of Russia’s invasion. Our nations must continue to speak out against Russia’s territorial ambitions and imperialist mindset, while also securing the institutional achievements we’ve made,” Osmani said.
She then turned to Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic integration, emphasizing the country’s commitment to democratic values and the rule of law.
“Today, Kosovo has the highest levels of democracy, rule of law, and is among the fastest-growing economies in the region,” she stated, pointing out that despite Kosovo’s alignment with EU foreign and security policy, its membership in the Council of Europe is still under consideration.
“We’re not looking for favors or shortcuts — we simply want merit-based processes, integration, and alignment with European values, for which we’ve had Finland’s support from the very beginning,” Osmani underlined, also congratulating Finland on its historic NATO membership, which she said has made Europe safer.
As part of enhanced security cooperation, President Osmani revealed that she has proposed to her Finnish counterpart a comprehensive military and defense agreement between the two countries. “This would be a natural step, as our democracies must stand side by side and would reflect our growing bilateral cooperation,” she added.
Speaking on relations with Serbia, Osmani emphasized that Kosovo has chosen dialogue as the only means to resolve outstanding issues, stressing the importance of honoring international agreements and upholding the rule of law.
“Our neighbor does not share these principles, but we have extended our hand in cooperation because we want to ensure that our children — the first generation to know only peace and not war — never go through what we did,” Osmani concluded.
She wrapped up her remarks by thanking Finland for its hospitality and for successfully integrating Kosovo’s diaspora, reaffirming Kosovo’s dedication as an independent state, proud of its identity, history, and brilliant youth — ready to forge new opportunities for cooperation.
