In a major diplomatic push to lock in American military protection amid shifting regional dynamics, Kosovo’s Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti held a virtual conference with an influential bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers.
During the session, Kurti formally advanced the Kosovo government’s strategic objective to have Camp Bondsteel—the sprawling NATO-led facility in eastern Kosovo—designated as a permanent, sovereign military base of the United States Armed Forces.
The high-level digital meeting included Congressmen Keith Self (R-TX), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and George Latimer (D-NY), all of whom have emerged as primary pro-Kosovo legislative advocates in Washington.
[THE US-KOSOVO MILITARY INTERSECTION]
• Strategic Demand: Convert Camp Bondsteel into a permanent U.S. military installation.
• Bipartisan Allies: Reps. Keith Self, Ritchie Torres, Mike Lawler, George Latimer.
• Legislative Tools: House Resolutions 1246 (NATO entry) & 1250 (KFOR reinforcement).
• Security Context: Finalizing a bilateral Defense Cooperation Framework with the U.S.
Capitalizing on House Resolutions 1246 and 1250
The core objective of Kurti’s briefing was to solidify support for two vital pro-Kosovo resolutions recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The acting Prime Minister expressed deep institutional gratitude for the legislative package, framing it as an essential shield for the young democracy:
- House Resolution 1246: Explicitly backs Kosovo’s entry into NATO and aggressively calls on the alliance’s four non-recognizing member states (Spain, Greece, Romania, and Slovakia) to lift their diplomatic vetoes.
- House Resolution 1250: Mandates an uninterrupted, long-term contribution of U.S. troops to the KFOR peacekeeping mission, insulating the deployment from shifting political winds in Washington.
“A permanent U.S. army presence at Camp Bondsteel serves the direct strategic interests of both the United States and NATO, while dramatically elevating the security architecture of the entire Western Balkans,” Kurti emphasized during the call.
The Gendarmerie: A Border Security Auxiliary
Addressing anxious international queries regarding Prishtina’s latest security legislation, Kurti briefed the congressmen on the initial steps taken by his cabinet this week to establish a national Gendarmerie.
[THE KOSOVO GENDARMERIE ARCHITECTURE]
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Cabinet Initiates Foundational Legal Framework (May 2026)
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[OPERATIONAL CORE] [NATO COMPLIANCE]
Militarized police unit for cross-border Explicitly NOT a replacement for KFOR.
smuggling, counter-terrorism, and protecting Designed as an agile, auxiliary domestic
critical national infrastructure assets. collaborator for joint security.
Kurti went to great lengths to assure the U.S. lawmakers that the creation of this militarized police force is not an attempt to push out international peacekeepers. Instead, it is designed to operate as a robust domestic auxiliary capable of relieving KFOR of low-intensity border security burdens, specifically targeting organized weapon smuggling, transnational human trafficking, and counter-terrorism threats.
A “Stronger Than Ever” Bilateral Treaty
The virtual summit concluded with a status update on a comprehensive Defense Cooperation Framework Agreement currently being finalized between Prishtina and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Kurti noted that the impending bilateral treaty will significantly modernize joint intelligence sharing, expand training programs, and streamline tactical defense procurement.
Writing on social media immediately after the conference, Kurti praised the current trajectory of the Washington-Prishtina security axis, declaring that “bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and security between the Republic of Kosovo and the United States of America is stronger than ever.”
