Haxhiu with US Congressmen: NATO, long-term security for Kosovo

2026-05-27 15:26:16, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kosovo's acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, said that Kosovo's membership in NATO is a matter of long-term security, regional peace and its place "among democratic states."

She made these statements during a meeting with two US congressmen, Republican Keith Self and Democrat Suhas Subramanyam.

According to the Presidency, Haxhiu thanked Self for the support offered for Kosovo's path towards NATO and for his attention to the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley.

She said that Kosovo remains committed to deepening the partnership with the United States in security, defense, economy, diplomacy, and Euro-Atlantic integration.

"For Kosovo, friendship with the United States is both institutional and personal. Our people remember who stood by us in the most defining moments of our modern history," Haxhiu said, according to a media release.

Self and Subramanyam also met with the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, during their stay in Kosovo. The congressmen also met with the acting Deputy Prime Minister, Glauk Konjufca.

The congressmen's visit comes after in April, Self, along with Congressmen Ritchie Torres and Mike Lawler, proposed a resolution aimed at pushing forward Kosovo's path toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

This resolution, which enjoys bipartisan support in the United States, states that "Kosovo's democratic governance, civilian oversight of security forces, and multiethnic coexistence constitute a compelling argument for NATO membership."

Kosovo aims to join the Western military alliance, but has not yet made an official application for membership, while non-recognition by four NATO countries (Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain) is considered an obstacle to membership in the alliance.

The country is currently in the process of transforming the Security Force into an army, a process that is expected to last until 2028.

Admission to NATO requires unanimous support, which is why the resolution presented by congressmen asks Washington to urge these four member countries to recognize the state of Kosovo.

Self and Subramanyam arrived in Kosovo on the afternoon of May 26, after staying in the Presevo Valley where they met with various Albanian officials in southern Serbia.

Self said that after learning about the real problems between Albanians and Serbia, the visit to Kosovo is being conducted to "learn about the Serbian minority there."

"So, we are visiting both countries to understand how minorities are treated and what their rights are," Self told reporters in the Presevo Valley.

Before staying in the Presevo Valley - a term used for the three municipalities in southern Serbia, Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, where Albanians live - the congressmen held meetings in Bosnia and Herzegovina. /REL