Germany doubles peacekeeping troops in Kosovo

Germany will double its troop contribution to the NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo to demonstrate its commitment to regional security, the German Defense Ministry announced today.

The decision comes as German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is scheduled to visit Kosovo and Serbia next month.

In a statement released today, Minister Pistorius announced that a company of about 100 soldiers would be added to the number of international peacekeepers, currently nearly 4,500, and affirmed that he was ready to mobilize more if necessary.

Before two violent attacks late last year that strained relations between Kosovo and Serbia, the number of international peacekeepers in Kosovo stood at around 3,800.

Currently, the EU-brokered negotiations on normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia remain at a standstill. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously affirmed that dialogue between the two sides is the only way and the most optimal solution to contribute to stability in the entire region, opening the door wide for Kosovo to join the EU.

In early 2023, the EU announced a French and German proposal for a "path to normalization" of relations between the two sides, in which Serbia and Kosovo would develop good-neighborly, normal relations with each other on the basis of equal rights, including the exchange of permanent representations and the recognition of documents such as passports, diplomas or license plates.

PV (VOV1)

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