American Ambassador to NATO: US gets very close partnership with Kosovo

The ambassador of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Juliane Smith, has called on Western Balkan countries to focus on their Euro-Atlantic aspirations and on the values of open and democratic societies.

In an interview for Radio Free EuropeSmith urged NATO members from the Western Balkans to engage more to achieve the alliance's goal, so that each member will spend at least 2 percent of its domestic production Bruto (PBB) on defence, especially in view of the security situation and the invasion of Ukraine from Russia.

She has also called on Serbia not to deepen co-operation with Russia and China, repeating the American warning against trade with Chinese companies, while she has said that now is no time for strengthening reports with Russia as Moscow has launched the biggest war in Europe since World War II.

“Russia is doing what it can to launch a flood of ill-informing campaigns, which often bring lies to NATO's intentions. They often try to claim that NATO is directly engaged in the war in Ukraine, which is absurd and false”, Smith has said, stressing that Russia is the aggressor who started the war in Ukraine.

The American Ambassador to NATO has said that progress in dialogue with Serbia, mediated by the European Union, is important for Kosovo's first walk towards NATO integration.

Smith has said the US is committed to the fight against mismanagement in the Western Balkan region.

“We co-operate closely in the face of the abuse challenge, with all our partners and allies in the region, and we encourage our friends to keep the focus on our common values, on democracies and multiethnic societies”, it is expressed.