The Kosovo Security Force has been supplied with armored vehicles that were purchased in the United States of America, the authorities announced.
The acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that this supply is the next proof of the “unwavering partnership with the USA”, but also an important step for strengthening the country’s defense capacities.
“Our military will continue to develop side by side with our strategic partner, both in terms of training, and in terms of education and doctrine which is based on that of the US military,” he wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Defence, Ejup Macedonia, said that he is happy with the “dynamic advancement of the KSF”, which he said is continuing to be strengthened with advanced technologies and means “to guarantee the realization of its constitutional mission”.
“This commitment to transform into a strong and professional Force would not have been possible without support from a strategic and irreplaceable partner — the United States of America, our lifelong friend,” Macedonia said.
Macedonia said that Kosovo is committed to having weapons systems in accordance with NATO, the largest security organization in the world where the country intends to join.
The authorities did not disclose how many armored vehicles Kosovo purchased from the US.
Kosovo intends to buy other weapons from the US. Last year, Kosovo made a request for the purchase of 200 Javelin anti-aircraft guns, and is now making their payment.
The KSF is currently in the process of being transformed into an army.
The United States has supported the transformation of the KSF into an army from the beginning, but not NATO, which insists that the KSF stick to its original tasks, such as crisis response or civil protection.
Kosovo has also purchased military equipment from the United States in the past. In 2018, military vehicles of the Humvee type had arrived in Kosovo from the USA. For the supply of 51 vehicles of this type, the Government of Kosovo in 2018 had signed a contract with the American company, AM General.
Two years later, Kosovo purchased other military vehicles from the U.S., while in 2021, the U.S. government donated 55 ASV (Armored Security Vehicle) vehicles to Kosovo.
Kosovo also intends to make joint purchases of American weapons together with Albania and Croatia.
The process of transforming the KSF into an armed force started in 2018, after the adoption of legal amendments. This process is expected to take ten years.
In recent years, the Government has increased the budget for the defence sector and this year the budget for this sector is EUR 207.8 million. /rel