The UK has confirmed it is going to preserve its contribution to NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo for not less than one other three years, reaffirming a 26-year dedication to regional stability and the alliance’s safety priorities within the Western Balkans.
In an announcement issued on 22 October, the Ministry of Defence mentioned the UK will proceed supporting the UN-mandated NATO Kosovo Pressure (KFOR) till not less than December 2028. The mission, first deployed in 1999 following NATO’s intervention to halt violence in Kosovo, consists of troops from over 30 nations.
The UK’s contribution centres on a reserve drive of a number of hundred troopers able to deploy at brief discover. The final main deployment occurred in 2023 after an armed assault on police in northern Kosovo.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned the extension demonstrated the UK’s “unwavering dedication to peace and safety within the Western Balkans”, describing it as a part of Britain’s “NATO first” method outlined within the Strategic Defence Assessment. He added that “working carefully with our companions within the Western Balkans is important, not just for regional stability, however to make sure safety right here at house.”
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns mentioned the choice mirrored the UK’s enduring position as considered one of KFOR’s most succesful contributors, praising personnel for many years of operational service. “Our troops have carried out lots of of missions over the a long time in assist of KFOR and this extension to our dedication will maintain Kosovo and the Western Balkans safer,” he mentioned.
Carns famous that British forces have strengthened KFOR’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, giving mission commanders enhanced situational consciousness and bettering the safety of civilians. The continued deployment is funded by way of the federal government’s Built-in Safety Fund, which helps joint safety initiatives throughout departments.
The announcement coincides with the Western Balkans Leaders’ Summit in London, the place the UK pledged new defence and safety cooperation, together with a course launching subsequent 12 months for regional defence establishments on defending civilians and selling the position of girls in defence. The initiative will invite participation from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.