US Congressman Ritchie Torres has urged US President Joe Biden to accelerate Kosovo’s NATO membership.
“As one of the United States’ strongest allies, we urge you to redouble your efforts to ensure that Kosovo is promptly admitted to NATO as a member state,” Torres wrote in a letter to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Biden.
It follows Kosovo government’s call for NATO and the EU to speed up the country’s membership into these organizations after Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine.
“On Feb. 27, Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Armend Mehaj, called for an ‘accelerated membership to NATO.’ Moreover, on March 3, the Kosovo Parliament passed a resolution calling on their government to start negotiations on NATO membership. We could not agree more with these actions,” Torres wrote.
“While Russia continues to behave as an irrational actor and Serbia strengthens its relationship with Russia, it is critical that we assist our ally Kosovo in joining NATO. With the rapidly evolving security situation in Europe, we must stand with our ally,” he added.
On Monday, former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj called on the government to present an official request to NATO for Kosovo’s membership. Foreign minister Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz confirmed that they are working on planning the next steps in the process but didn’t give a clear timeline.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the government of Albin Kurti had already planned to take the next step in the EU integration process and apply for candidate status. Kurti said the current situation in the region urges them to accelerate the process, but he also gave no timeline.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has alleged that Kosovo’s request for accelerated NATO membership is an idea of EU and US lobbyists aimed at pressuring NATO members who do not recognize Kosovo to do so.
Civil society organizations in Kosovo have urged the government to also ask for membership in the Council of Europe, arguing that Russia’s suspension from decision-making in the organization has created favorable conditions.
Supported by Russia’s lobbying, Serbia has been able to prevent Kosovo’s membership in a number of international organizations including UNESCO and the Interpol.
The Russian aggression against Ukraine has raised fears in the Western Balkans and the EU of possible similar actions by Serbia in Kosovo and Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The leadership in Serbia and Republika Srpska have refused to explicitly condemn the invasion of Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia.
