Congressmen and senators urge Rubio to prevent possible restriction of US troops in Kosovo

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By: Radio Free Europe
March 12 2026 20: 19
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By: Radio Free Europe
March 12 2026 20: 19
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Several members of the US Congress have called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a letter to prevent the possible limitation of US troops in Kosovo, saying that such a withdrawal risks destabilizing not only the country but also the wider Western Balkans region at a time of malign influences.

In a letter to Rubio on March 11, they expressed "deep concern" over reports that President Donald Trump's administration may withdraw some US forces from the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR.

"At a time of heightened political fragility and increasing malign influence in the Western Balkans, a premature reduction of the US presence risks destabilizing not only Kosovo but the broader region, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina. We urge you to maintain the level of US forces to protect US national security interests in the Western Balkans region," the letter states.

Their letter comes after the American newspaper Politico, citing four NATO diplomats, reported on February 19 that the United States is asking allies to consider limiting the alliance's external engagements, including the mission in Kosovo.

Asked about this, the Pentagon told Radio Free Europe in a response that there was no announcement of a change in the deployment of forces.

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About 590 American forces serve in Kosovo as part of the NATO peacekeeping mission, KFOR.

KFOR is the third security responder in Kosovo, after the Kosovo Police and the European Union rule of law mission, EULEX. But this peacekeeping mission is, among other things, responsible for security on the border between Kosovo and Serbia, two neighboring countries that continue to have tense relations.

The congressmen and senators further said in the letter that any restrictions on US military troops could have significant consequences not only for the operational capacities of the peacekeeping force, but also weaken KFOR's role as a political obstacle in maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo.

"Tensions between ethnic Serb communities in northern Kosovo continue amid ongoing actions by the central Kosovo government that continue to worsen the situation in the communities. Given the lack of significant progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, a troop reduction would remove a tool of pressure that could force them to return to talks. Furthermore, a reduced US presence could embolden actors who see the West's withdrawal as an opportunity to cause unrest," the letter states.

Kosovo and Serbia continue to have tense relations, especially since 2023, when Kosovo authorities accused Belgrade of an attack by a group of Serbs against the Kosovo Police that left a sergeant dead and of an explosion in a vital water channel.

Serbia has denied involvement in these two attacks, which took place in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo.

Since then, the European Union-mediated dialogue between the two neighboring countries has stalled and there have been no high-level meetings, despite the parties agreeing to normalize relations in early 2023.

Furthermore, congressmen and senators argued that the potential American withdrawal from KFOR could embolden actors with nationalist agendas in Kosovo and Serbia, as well as the separatist ambitions of leaders in Republika Srpska in Bosnia, “undermining state cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina and increasing the risk of a political or security crisis.”

They mentioned how Russia has consistently sought to exploit divisions in the Western Balkans and weaken NATO and EU support in the region.

“In April 2024, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Christopher Cavoli, testified before Congress that Russia is actively fomenting tensions between ethnic groups to undermine the territorial integrity of Bosnia, which influenced his decision to increase and strengthen KFOR in numbers and to bring in more military equipment,” they said.

They cited "recent intelligence" that there is no change in malign Russian influence in the region, saying that the US "should not limit US troops and leave more room for Russian activity."

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