US Department of Defense: No planned troop withdrawal in Kosovo

The U.S. Department of Defense says that, for now, there is no difference in their position. But, with continued tensions in the Balkans and changing global priorities, Kosovo must prepare for any scenario, former NATO officials say.

“Every KFOR soldier fully and clearly understands his task to protect all Kosovo citizens”, said June 25th, 1999 The then commander of NATO peacekeeping mission, Mike Jackson.

This force began to be deployed in Kosovo that month, shortly after the signing of the Kumanovo Agreement, which forced the full withdrawal of the Serbian Army and police from Kosovo.

Initially, it consisted of some 50,000 troops to reach some 4,600 over the years.

More than 25 years later, its mission remains the same: <x0 the preservation of a safe environment for all”, but the future of force is somewhat questionable.

An official from the US Department of Defense confirms that, “at now, there is no change in the positioning of forces to notify”.

But, former senior official of NATO, Jamie Shea, says United States President Donald Trump, “is transaction” and that it may require Kosovo favors in exchange for troop maintenance.

“Anyway, be prepared”, Shaa says.

Former Kosovo Security Force Commander Kadri Kastrati estimates that the country, currently, is unable to defend itself.

How did questions arise about American troops in Europe?

It was originally US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who ordered Europe that it should prepare for a revision and eventual reduction of the American military presence.

During a visit to Warsaw last month, Hegseth said its future would depend on global threats and American strategic priorities.

This is why our message is so hard on our European allies. Now is the time to invest, because you cannot assume that America's presence will last forever”, he said on February 14th.

According to a document provided by American newspapers The Washington PostHegseth also ordered the leaders of the Pentagon and the American Army to plan for cutting the defence budget by 8 percent to each of the next five years.

This debate, another element, added to the American vice president JD Vance.

He criticised European leaders for rejecting the extreme right, while the future of American troops in Europe linked them to policymaking on the continent.

Speaking at the Conference of Political Conservative Action on February 20th, Vance said Americans would not support keeping troops in Germany, if people there can be imprisoned for offensive posts in social media.

“The entire defense of Germany is subsidised by American taxpayers”, he said.

The situation caused little anxiety among the allies around the Atlantic.

The man expected to become Germany's Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said his goal would be to achieve independence from the US in terms of security.

For me, the absolute priority will be strengthening Europe as soon as possible”, he said.

Trump, even during his first term as president, has repeatedly asked European allies to significantly increase their financial contributions in defence.

Asked during a conference with journalists, on February 18th, whether he would be willing to consider withdrawing all American troops from Europe, under an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, for peace in Ukraine, Trump said:

No one asked me to do this. I don't think we should. I wouldn't want to do it”.

American Troops in Europe

The United States has several operational and military bases in Europe.

The largest number of American soldiers over 35,000 has been deployed in Germany.

This place, at the same time, has the largest U.S. air base, Ramstein, where over 16,000 military, civilian, and contractors are located.

In addition to the provisional reinforcement at the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine, the American military presence in Europe has been decreasing since the end of the Cold War.

According to the US European Command, the total number of American forces in Europe has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since 2022.

Of them, currently, about 63,000 forces are permanently deployed, while others are rotating.

In Kosovo, the United States has about 600 soldiers under the KFOR mission, compared to over 5,000 of what they had in 99.

From that year they also have Camp Bondsteel, which is located near Ferizaj, southeast of Kosovo, and serves as the largest US military base in the Balkans.

What does NATO say?

Even NATO questioned whether there is any plan to ensure that KFOR's presence in Kosovo remains unchanged, in the continuation of the possible reduction of American troops in Europe.

In response he received, among other things, it is said that the US subx0> officials have made clear their commitment to the Alliance, including the US presence in Europe”.

It also says that the US has made clear its expectations for NATO allies to do more, invest more and produce more, “in support of our common security”.

“NATO constantly fits the changing environment... KFOR continues to implement its mandate based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 to contribute to a safe environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo”, said one official of the NATO and added “The US continues to play a fundamental” role within the KFOR mission.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said at a meeting with KFOR Commander Enrico Bardoni on March 4th that Europe is facing a complex geopolitical situation and that “joint commitment with KFOR and NATO remains essential”.

“it prepared”

Shea, who served in different roles in NATO until his withdrawal in 2018, does not expect immediate changes in the presence of American troops in Europe, and therefore neither in Kosovo, but says the situation remains uncertain and should be carefully observed.

According to him, the American contingent in Kosovo is small and “is not a big financial burden for the US, compared to American forces in Germany or Poland”.

He also recalls that Trump, in the past, “has tried to play the peacemaker between Belgrade and Pristina” and says American troops in Kosovo “give the US a bigger leverage in this” role.

However, Trump is transactional and he can ask Kosovo what favors he can offer to keep [American] troops in Kosovo especially in the form of business agreements and investment opportunities. So be prepared”, Shaa says.

Furthermore, he adds, reducing the Pentagon's budget would necessarily force the US military to make savings and redistribute its resources.

Why is NATO's presence in Kosovo important?

Nearly 26 years after the end of the war and 17 years after the declaration of independence, Kosovo is not recognised by Serbia, and relations between the two countries remain tense.

Although they are in negotiations for their normalisation since 2011, the neighbouring state continues to consider Kosovo part of itself.

Following an armed attack in the country's north in 2023, Kosovo authorities accused him of attempted annexing this Serb-run area.

Serbia denied it was involved in that attack, but gathered military troops on the border with Kosovo for several days.

Kosovo's Security Force does not provide information on its defence capacities, viewing them as sensitive, but its former commander, Kadri Kastrati, estimates the country, currently, is unable to defend itself.

Unfortunately, we are far away because it is not invested”, he says.

“We are far from both human capacities and infrastructure, equipment and weapons”, he adds.

The KSF is in the process of becoming a regular army and is expected to have over 7,500 active members and reserve, up from about 2,500 currently.

Kosovo Defence Minister Ejup Macedonia has said late last year that Kosovo, in four years, has spent over 269m euros on arms purchase.

What is known is that the country has also provided weapons from two NATO powers: US and Turkey, and that he also intends to build his ammunition factory.

Speaking of NATO's importance in Kosovo, former Defence Minister Agim Ceku says the security situation in the country has not changed substantially since the military alliance's intervention in 1999.

“NATO has come to Kosovo because of Serbia's aggressive approach to Kosovo and Albanians. Unfortunately, this approach has not changed yet. Serbia continues to treat Kosovo as part of it and continues to entertain the dream of its return to Kosovo”, Ceku tells Radio Free Europe.

Until there is agreement on mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, he says mission NATO, KFOR, will remain the key factor for security in the country.

It is also a guarantee for the stability of the entire Western Balkans”, Ceku says.

Albania's former defence minister, Fatmir Mediu, says in a spirit similar to Ceku.

“Balkan has great strategic importance for NATO, especially because of its release to the Mediterranean and Adriatic. But for Kosovo, NATO's presence is even more important to ensure its stability and prevent the destabilisation of the situation from actors such as Serbia, Russia and China”, he says.

Could KFOR survive without American soldiers?

Former official of NATO, Shea, says “po”.

“KFOR has been under Italian and Turkish command and most of the troops are European”, he says, and adds that “Europeans manage with Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves since 2004”.

But, despite that, Shea argues that keeping American troops in Kosovo as long as possible is beneficial, because, as he says, provides continued US attention.

US “20s on the ground keep Kosovo on the radar screen at the White House and the State Department, as well as helping the US remain engaged in the Kosovo-Serbia dialog”, says Shea.

With the region's uncertainty rising due to the judgment of Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik, and continuing protests in Serbia, American forces serve as a stabilising factor, according to him.

How can Kosovo prepare for each scenario?

Mediu says it is time for Kosovo to line up closer NATO and the United States, “not to pursue internal policies that cause divisions”.

The country must have a pro-active approach to NATO membership and deepen strategic relations with the US”, he says.

Currently MP in Albania's Parliament, Mediu also suggests the creation of a joint military force with NATO member states in the Western Balkans Albania, Northern Macedonia and Montenegro to build, as it says, a powerful defence mechanism.

“The stability of Kosovo and the entire region cannot be left at the mercy of fate”, Mediu says.

Shea also stresses the importance of Kosovo's engagement with the Trump administration at all levels, “to ensure that its interests are communicated directly and surprises are avoided”.

“Trump is unpredictable, so, rather, prepare for all scenarios”, says Shea.

Considering the American president's transactional style of diplomacy, Shea adds that Kosovo should identify even areas for possible negotiations with him.

Business interests are always high, he says, taking as an example the controversial agreement between the US and Ukraine on minerals.

The need for this delicate balance, which defines the security of Kosovo, was evident since 1999, when late General Jackson refused his American commander's order to block Russian forces when they entered Kosovo, without agreement with NATO.

I won't start the Third World War for you”, Jackson reportedly told General Wesley Clark in June of 99.

If Jackon prevented him over a quarter century ago, why would safety today be left to chance? /REL