Two US congressmen, one Republican and one Democrat, have reaffirmed that United States support for Kosovo continues to be strong and bipartisan in the US Congress. They expressed this in separate letters addressed to Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, in a letter released Friday by the incumbent administration, emphasizes that recent legislative actions in the United States clearly demonstrate America’s long-term commitment to Kosovo. He mentions the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, which, according to him, underscores US support for Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic future.
According to Lawler, these initiatives are essential for ensuring long-term stability, strengthening security and the rule of law throughout the Western Balkans region.
Democratic Congressman George Latimer has also reaffirmed the US’s “strong support” for Kosovo in his letter. He emphasizes that, under the recently passed National Security Authorization Act, the United States strongly supports Kosovo’s aspirations for membership in NATO and the European Union.
Latimer also notes that the US supported efforts to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, emphasizing that such a process would significantly contribute to increasing security and strengthening the rule of law throughout the Western Balkans.
The two congressmen are referring to the National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law last week by President Donald Trump. The act also requires Kosovo and Serbia to implement the agreement to normalize relations reached in 2023.
The letters were sent after a meeting that Lawler and Latimer had with Kurt during his visit to Washington in September.
These statements come at a time when relations between Kosovo and the United States faced tensions during 2025. These were mainly caused by the decisions of the Kosovo Government to extend sovereignty to the north of the country, inhabited mainly by Serbs, without coordination with the international community.
As a result of these actions, the planned strategic dialogue between Kosovo and the US was suspended indefinitely.
Prime Minister Kurti has justified these decisions as actions in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo. He has recently stated that relations with the US are “very good” and that disagreements have always been related to issues related to Serbia and its structures, not to bilateral relations.
On December 11, Kurti emphasized that relations between the two countries in the field of defense and security “have never been better.”
The Strategic Dialogue is a process that the U.S. Department of State conducts with many countries around the world, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations. This dialogue involves high-level meetings, held in Washington or in the respective country, where topics such as defense, security, economy, energy, and the environment are discussed.
Kurti is aiming for a third term as head of government in the early parliamentary elections to be held on December 28.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Kosovo told Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) that after the elections, it intends to work closely with the new government to advance shared priorities. An Embassy spokesperson expressed hope that the partnership between the two countries will deepen, including the resumption of the strategic dialogue.
The United States has allocated over $2 billion in aid to Kosovo since 1998, while Kosovar leaders have repeatedly emphasized that the US remains the country’s most important strategic partner. / Taken from REL