US bans Kosovo from military exercises after clashes

The United States announced on Tuesday May 30 the exclusion of Kosovo from a program of military exercises, a first sanction after Pristina’s decision to induct Albanian mayors in towns in the North with a Serb majority. Western powers have called for de-escalation after violent clashes on Monday outside a town hall in which around 30 international soldiers led by NATO and around 50 demonstrators were injured.

Jeffrey Hovenier, American ambassador in Pristina, announced the exclusion of Kosovo from Defender 23, a program of joint military exercises bringing together more than 20 countries started in April, and which must extend until the end of June in Europe. NATO has been conducting a peacekeeping operation since 1999 in this predominantly Albanian territory, which declared its independence in 2008 and which Serbia still refuses to recognize. In his speech, the American ambassador threatened to take unprecedented measures to end diplomatic support for the international recognition of this Balkan territory, whose independence remains contested by Russia, China and some European countries. .

In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken once again criticized Prime Minister Albin Kurti, saying his decision on mayors had “strongly and unnecessarily aggravated tensions”. He called “all parties to take immediate action to defuse tensions” and condemned “unacceptable violence” against peacekeepers.