NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg embarked on a diplomatic visit to Belgrade on Tuesday, where he engaged in discussions with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. The visit is part of Stoltenberg’s tour of the Western Balkans, a region gaining increasing geopolitical significance amid the ongoing Kosovo crisis.
During the meeting, Stoltenberg highlighted NATO’s response to the events in Banjska on September 24, emphasizing that NATO had reinforced KFOR with an additional 1,000 soldiers—a deployment regarded as the largest in the past decade.
“NATO has deployed around 1,000 additional peacekeepers and heavier armour to Kosovo. This has been the biggest reinforcement of our contingent in Kosovo in a decade. And it shows that NATO stands ready to preserve peace,” said Stoltenberg.
The NATO Secretary General urged all stakeholders to work towards de-escalation and expressed his commitment to regional stability. The visit underscores the alliance’s active engagement in addressing the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Western Balkans.
During a joint press conference with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the significance of Serbia as an important strategic partner for the alliance. Stoltenberg revealed that discussions between the two leaders included the prospect of conducting joint military exercises in the future.
Stoltenberg welcomed the EU’s latest proposals for the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo.
“This would be a key step toward normalisation of the relationships. I call on Belgrade and Pristina to engage constructively in the EU-facilitated dialogue. This is the only path to a lasting peace and stability,” he noted.
