Amid a world in chaos and reorganization, security has become an absolute priority, and for Kosovo, it is directly linked to NATO – the largest military alliance in the world.
A new momentum for its rapprochement with it is being consolidated in decision-making centers in Washington, however, its exploitation seems to require a stronger political push from Pristina as well.
For former Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, who is closely involved in talks on Kosovo's advancement towards NATO, Washington's support is an important opportunity. But, according to him, it loses its weight if Kosovo does not ensure internal institutional stability. NATO membership requires, above all, political consensus and a coordinated approach from Kosovo itself.
"Without a Kosovo with institutions, without a Kosovo with stable politics and government, it will be difficult to pave the way for NATO membership," Mediu says on the Expose program. of Radio Free Europe.
At the end of April, a concrete step was taken in the US Congress: Representative Keith Self, along with his colleagues, Ritchie Torres and Mike Lawler, proposed a resolution aimed at pushing forward Kosovo's path towards NATO.
The bipartisan resolution emphasizes, among other things, that "Kosovo's democratic governance, civilian oversight of security forces, and multiethnic coexistence constitute a compelling argument for NATO membership."
It also states that "Kosovo's inclusion in the NATO alliance would serve as a necessary counterweight to discourage hostile efforts and prevent another global catastrophe in the Balkans."
And this is not the only initiative. Another resolution in Congress, initiated in late April by Torres, Self, and Congressman George Latimer, emphasizes the United States' military presence in Kosovo, calling it key to stability in the region.
During a meeting this week of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Self emphasized again that Kosovo has demonstrated a clear commitment to regional stability and strategic alignment with NATO, and therefore should be part of it.
"Kosovo is, without a doubt, one of the United States' closest and most loyal European partners. In a short period of time, this young state has demonstrated a clear commitment to democratic governance, civilian control of security forces, and multiethnic coexistence – all of which strengthen the argument for NATO membership and for stability in the Balkans," Self said at the May 13 session.
Congressman Torres' cabinet also expressed support for Kosovo's membership in NATO, but also for the continued presence of the US in the KFOR peacekeeping mission.
"Congress hopes to see Kosovo's membership in NATO, bipartisan support for maintaining the level of forces in KFOR, and a dialogue process that does not reward Serbia with concessions and stubbornness," Torres spokesman Benny Stanislawski told Radio Free Europe.
The Kosovo government has not responded to Radio Free Europe's questions about how it interprets the latest resolutions in the US Congress, about possible communications with the US or NATO, as well as about the assessment of Kosovo's current position in the Euro-Atlantic integration process.
The NATO office in Brussels said only that any further step to consolidate the alliance's relations with institutions in Kosovo requires consensus from all allies.
"We encourage the institutions in Kosovo to consolidate good governance, for the benefit of all people living in Kosovo. NATO remains fully committed to stability in the Western Balkans, including through the KFOR mission," a spokesman for the alliance told Radio Free Europe.
NATO's "open door" policy is based on Article 10 of the Washington Treaty, which stipulates that membership is open to any "European State in a position to promote the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area."
Kosovo has long declared its intention to join the alliance and has taken steps to build security capacities in line with its standards, but the process remains politically blocked, as four NATO member states do not yet recognize Kosovo's independence, and any new enlargement requires the consensus of all 32 allies.
Radio Free Europe has contacted the Foreign Ministries of these four countries – Spain, Greece, Slovakia and Romania – to ask whether they are considering reviewing their position on recognizing Kosovo's independence.
Of these, only the Slovak Foreign Ministry has made a statement, emphasizing that its position remains based on the 2007 Parliamentary Declaration, which links the resolution of Kosovo's status to respect for Serbia's demands and the norms of international law, as well as to the outcome of the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, facilitated by the European Union.
Observers say that, despite the rigid stances of non-recognizing states, resolutions in the US Congress – although non-binding – prevent Kosovo from “sinking into oblivion.”
In Medi's words, this commitment is also related to the US interest in maintaining balance in the Balkans and preventing the growth of Russian, Chinese, and Serbian influences in the region.
"I am convinced that the United States of America, regardless of rhetoric, sees NATO as an extremely important element, not only for the stability of the Balkans, but also for a broader geopolitical relationship and influence. And, in this context, there is undoubtedly an interest in Kosovo," says Mediu.
Former senior NATO official Jamie Shea believes that activism in the US Congress should be understood more as setting a long-term agenda than as an immediate impact. He says this keeps Kosovo in Washington's political spotlight and creates space for a future opportunity, when conditions in Kosovo-Serbia relations and within NATO itself are more favorable.
"But, frankly, until there is political stability in Kosovo, because three elections in 18 months is not a good sign... so, until there is more stability after the June elections, there is not expected to be a clear path forward in the Euro-Atlantic integration process," Shea tells Exposé.
Kosovo, in less than a month, will hold its third parliamentary elections within a period of a year and a half, after the previous two cycles failed to produce stable institutions, due to a lack of consensus among political parties.
And, Mediu argues that NATO membership depends not only on American support, but also on political coordination and internal commitment of Kosovo itself, in cooperation with allies.
In this context, he underlines the need for increased diplomatic and lobbying activities, especially in Washington, as well as for reforms structured according to NATO standards, recalling that a similar journey preceded Albania's membership in NATO in 2009.
"I think it's one of the best developments that have happened for Kosovo. For several reasons... because, if we remember our history, this is how it started - with declarations, with resolutions in the US Congress. If we then come to an approval of the resolution in Congress, it becomes something that also determines the policies of the US State Department or the US administration," says Mediu.
He adds that the United States has decisive weight in NATO decision-making and that it would be difficult for some member countries to resist American pressure if Washington insisted on Kosovo's membership.
During the Foreign Affairs Committee meeting on May 13, Congressman Self called for the blocking of $1.8 billion in military aid to Greece until Athens recognizes Kosovo's independence, also presenting an amendment to stop this annual aid, but it was opposed by several Democratic representatives.
Shea agrees that keeping pressure on non-recognizing states is important, but adds that Kosovo cannot rely solely on the US, emphasizing the need for a more balanced approach towards Europe.
"Kosovo needs to have a more balanced lobbying effort and lobby as hard in Berlin, Paris, London or Warsaw as it does in Washington. Relying solely on the United States may have worked in the past, in the 90s, but today it is no longer an effective strategy," Shea said.
Along similar lines, Daniel Serwer, from Johns Hopkins University in Washington, points out the real limitations of the US Congress's influence in this process.
"The resolutions suggest considerable political support for Kosovo's NATO membership, but they do not bind the administration. The president can ignore them. His authority in foreign policy is virtually unlimited," Serwer tells Expose.
At a time when the world order is being rewritten and the balance of security is shaking, the United States is also clearly signaling a reorganization of its military presence in Europe - up to the withdrawal of thousands of troops from Germany.
In this new reality, exactly what Mediu emphasizes takes on weight: the American presence in KFOR is not simply military – it is a strong political message about the US commitment to the region. And Kosovo, if it intends to exploit this geopolitical window, must step out of the logic of daily politics and move to long-term strategic action. /REL
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