11 minutes ago"KFOR can grow if need appears, we will do it to guarantee security"
Periskopi(an hour ago)
(an hour ago)Secretary - General NATO, Mark Rutte, days ago has indicated that they plan to reduce the military presence in Kosovo in the pre-2023 numbers. Rutte has said KFOR's presence will be reduced from 1,000 to 1,000 and 500 soldiers. That's because of improving the security situation.
However, it is still unknown which contributing states will be involved in this process of adapting KFOR's military presence to Kosovo.
spokesperson for Allied Supreme Staff in Europe, American Colonel Martin L. O'Donell, in a response to Gazeta Express questioned this planned reduction of military presence in Kosovo, has said this is about numbers, but with adjustments and security guarantees for Kosovo and the region.
It's not about numbers, it's about optimization and ensuring the safety of all people living in Kosovo and in the region.”, American Colonel Martin L. O”Done.
On this topic, a senior NATO military official has said that as regards the troop contribution to KFOR of allied countries, questions should be addressed to contributing states themselves.
As Secretary Rutte mentioned, expectations are to return to the first issues in 2023.
This top NATO military official has clarified that as long as it is directed towards this troop reduction process, security assessments will be made over and over again.
He has ruled out that depending on the security situation, troops can even grow.
“Security environment assessments will be made over and over again as this happens. If additional adjustments are required, one direction or another, based on our assessment, we will make them, guaranteeing security and protection, as we do”, this senior NATO military official for Gazette Express has said.
He has said it is important to note that troop numbers have been in the past, and that KFOR's military presence has been tailored depending on the security situation.
It is important to note that this has happened before. KFOR's structure has adapted both to growth and to reducing its presence, depending on the security situation”, has clarified this top military official.
Secretary NATO, Mark Rutte, has declared that KFOR currently has 4 thousand and 700 soldiers and that expectations following the adoption of the presence are to range between 3,000 and 3,000 troops.
At this moment, you see that KFOR has about 4,700 soldiers. What we're going to do is we're going back to the first 2023 levels. Of course, depending on the circumstances, you will see a KFOR of between 3,000 and 3,500 troops. And, I think given the improvement of the situation, KFOR will continue to be focused on its core” mission, Rutte has declared.
