The possible reduction of American soldiers in Europe, NATO: Kosovo's hard-earned peace decades must be jeopardised

An official NATO has confirmed that commitment to the KFOR mission in Kosovo is strong and that it continues to fulfill its UN-set mission.

For more than two decades, KFOR has maintained a secure environment for all people in Kosovo, as well as freedom of movement, in accordance with our UN mandate. Decades of hard - earned peace should not be endangered. NATO's commitment to KFOR remains strong”, an official said NATO for the Express Journal.

But, he added, stability in the region does not depend only on them and said the solution to the Kosovo-Serbia conflict is political, and therefore they support the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

“Stability in the region ultimately depends on all sides choosing diplomacy rather than violence. The solution to long-term peace is political. NATO continues to support the EU-led dialogue as the only framework for resolving political issues by respecting the rights of all communities. We expect Belgrade and Pristina to engage in trust”, NATO said.

The alliance confirmed that “continued violence in 2023, we deployed about 1,000 additional troops in Kosovo and increased KFOR's presence in northern Kosovo”.

NATO's response comes after Hegseth's statements, which yesterday said that “everything is on the table” to bring peace to Ukraine and suggested that reducing the number of American troops in Europe may be part of any agreement.

Hegseth was asked whether Europe should be prepared for the US to cut the 100,000-strong number it has deployed on the continent, and it appears to link the regulations with negotiations for Ukraine.