KFOR Commander: Optimization will be gradual, troops can return if needed

The commander of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), Turkish Major General Ozkan Ulutaş, announced that the process of optimizing KFOR's presence in Kosovo will be gradual, based on security situation analyses. He assured that additional troops can be redeployed if security demands it.

“

As I have said before, the process of optimizing KFOR's presence is based on a careful analysis of multiple security indicators.

Ulutaş noted that while extra forces were sent to Kosovo following the Banjska attack, no incidents of similar magnitude have occurred since the May 2023 attack on NATO soldiers and the Banjska events. He stressed KFOR's commitment to monitoring security developments and ensuring its mission is appropriately deployed and capable.

He described the gradual optimization as a positive indicator of overall security stability, stating that KFOR has been a pillar of security in Kosovo for 27 years. Ulutaş reiterated that the Western Balkans are of strategic importance to NATO and that the alliance will not permit a security vacuum.

“

The fact that we are now optimizing our presence is a positive indicator that the security environment is stable overall.

Regarding the Banjska events, Ulutaş confirmed KFOR reacted swiftly and in accordance with its mandate. However, he pointed to unresolved issues and expressed concern over "inflammatory rhetoric and continuous use of disinformation" that could impact the security environment. He emphasized that lasting security is achieved through political dialogue, not military means.

“

NATO will not allow the creation of a security vacuum.

KFOR will continue to support the EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which Ulutaş identified as the framework for resolving outstanding issues and achieving solutions that respect the rights of all communities.

“

The path to lasting security is political, not military.