NATO Secretary General Meets President Of Serbia To Discuss Challenges In Northern Kosovo

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia in Brussels on Wednesday (19 July 2023) in order to discuss tensions in northern Kosovo.

Mr Stoltenberg called the recent violence against KFOR peacekeepers unacceptable, underlining that KFOR has deployed 500 additional troops to Kosovo and stands ready to act as necessary, in line with its UN mandate. He underlined that all parties must prevent any renewed escalation, and engage constructively in the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Stoltenberg noted the increased presence follows attacks on NATO troops in May, in which 93 were injured, three of them seriously.

“This is unacceptable,” Stoltenberg said, adding that, “It is important that tensions are reduced so we call on all parties to reduce tensions and to refrain from escalatory actions and rhetoric.”

“We strongly believe that the only path forward is to engage in dialogue, in the EU-facilitated dialogue, with is strongly supported by NATO,” Stoltenberg said. “Serbia is a long-standing partner of NATO and we trust that you will engage in this dialogue in a constructive way.”