US warns no changes in Kosovo troop delocation

“Today, we don't have to announce any changes in the delocation of forces”, he said in the written response.

The REL requested comment from the US Department of Defence after the American newspaper Politico led by citing four NATO diplomats said the United States of America is seeking from the alliance to reduce its external activity, including in Kosovo's peacekeeping mission KFOR.

In comments an official of NATO said the United States plays an essential role in supporting stable security in Kosovo and regional stability.

However, he stressed that American authorities are addresses for more details.

He added that the US, currently, has about 600 troops engaged in the KFOR mission and that it has leadership of the Regional East Command.

Regional East Command contributes to KFOR's daily activities in various ways, including patrols, exercises, commitments with representatives of all local communities and support of reconstruction and economic development projects.

The REL requested comments about Politico's reports both by the Government of Kosovo and the Ministry of Defence, and is awaiting responses.
According to Politico, in recent months, Washington has lobbied for reducing NATO's peacekeeping operation in Kosovo, KFOR, to complete the mission in Iraq and for allies from Indo-Peacekeeping to not participate in the annual alliance summit held in Turkey's Ankara in July.

This report comes after, last year, concerns were raised among European states that the US could fully withdraw its troops from Europe.

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

However, there was no full withdrawal, and in October the US announced the withdrawal of several troops from Romania. This withdrawal was said to be part of a broader US strategy to focus on Indo-Peacekeeping.

The US has 590 troops in Kosovo under KFOR's peacekeeping mission.

A total of 4,767 troops from 33 countries in the world currently serve in Kosovo, under the peacekeeping mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), KFOR. Nearly half of the forces are from Italy, the United States of America, Hungary and Turkey.

About 50,000 troops were deployed in 1999, after the war ended, in Kosovo currently there are 4,767 KFOR peacekeeping troops from 33 different states.

The Bondsteel Camp, located near Ferizaj, serves as the largest US military base in the Balkans.
Kosovo considers its alliance with the United States to be central, a country that has contributed to its independence and statehood.

Otherwise, KFOR is the third security reacter in Kosovo, following Kosovo Police and the European Union's mission of rule of law, EULEX.

This peacekeeping mission NATO, among other things, is responsible for security on the border line between Kosovo and Serbia.

US pressure to reduce missions will troops in Kosovo be affected?