Admiral Wikoff: NATO retains ability to reinforce KFOR if necessary

US Admiral and Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples George Wikoff said today that the optimization of KFOR forces in Kosovo could be paused, modified or reversed if conditions required.

Wikoff said that improvements in the security situation had created opportunities to optimize KFOR’s force posture.

“KFOR’s optimization will increase the effectiveness of the mission by ensuring that we have personnel in the right locations, with a higher level of readiness and sufficient flexibility to respond to changes in the security environment. The pace and scope of the optimization are determined by conditions on the ground and continuous military assessments. These changes are gradual, carefully calibrated and conditions-based. Adjustments can be temporarily suspended, modified or reversed if circumstances require,” the Commander of Allied Joint Force Command said.

Admiral Wikoff stressed that NATO retained the ability to reinforce KFOR if necessary.

“The security of all communities remains essential when making these decisions. I am aware that changes to the familiar military presence may raise questions, particularly among those who have experienced insecurity. Those concerns are heard and taken into account in every aspect of the optimization plan. Patrols and regular contacts with representatives of all local communities help us understand security concerns and explain how we are fulfilling our responsibilities. Regular communication with institutions in Kosovo, international organizations and the Serbian Armed Forces helps prevent misunderstandings that could affect the stability of Kosovo and the region,” he said.

He stressed that lasting security also required a political process.

“NATO continues to fully support the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue as the framework for resolving outstanding issues and finding solutions that fully respect the rights of all communities. We expect both sides to engage constructively and in good faith in that process. KFOR contributes to strengthening the security conditions that allow the dialogue to continue. My expectations of General Roberto Vergori and his team are simple: to maintain a high level of readiness, remain engaged with all communities and continue carrying out the mission professionally and impartially, in line with the standards set by their predecessors. NATO’s commitment to stability and security in the Western Balkans remains strong,” Wikoff said.

He added that KFOR’s mission was clear—to ensure the safety and security of all people living in Kosovo.

“In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, KFOR contributes to maintaining a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities. We fulfill that responsibility impartially and in close coordination with Kosovo Police and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), within their respective responsibilities as first security responders on the ground. For the people who live here, security has a practical meaning. It means being able to travel freely to work, send children to school, visit family and access religious sites. KFOR contributes to creating the conditions that enable freedom of movement and access to those places,” he stressed.

New KFOR Commander General Roberto Vergori said that the optimization process for the NATO-led mission had been launched as a result of the continued improvement in the security situation.

“This process represents an adjustment of our operational assessments to the new security environment, with the aim of ensuring that our mission remains fit for purpose. It is essential that we continuously assess the situation on the ground and adjust our deployment accordingly in order to increase the mission’s effectiveness, focus activities on priorities and improve the management of safety and security. This process does not constitute a withdrawal, nor does it in any way diminish KFOR’s commitment to protecting all communities and acting in their interests, at all times and impartially, day after day, in close coordination with Kosovo Police and EULEX, within their respective responsibilities as first security responders on the ground,” Vergori said.

The Italian General stressed that optimization made it possible to redeploy KFOR forces and strengthen their presence in areas where they were most needed, while continuing to operate effectively for the benefit of all communities.

“I know you have heard this before, but as the new KFOR Commander I consider it important to reiterate it: this process will be managed on the basis of continuous assessments of security conditions and operational requirements. Optimization will be gradual and carefully calibrated. It is conditions-based and can be reversed if relevant developments that could affect long-term security in Kosovo and regional stability require it. KFOR’s posture has been continuously adjusted since 1999 to ensure that the mission remains fit for purpose. The current optimization of the force posture will be carried out according to the same principles. As the situation evolves, we will be ready to respond quickly and appropriately and adjust our actions,” Vergori said.

KFOR, he said, would retain an appropriate number of personnel, the necessary equipment and training, as well as effectively deployed forces on the ground, while preserving the capabilities, readiness and flexibility required to respond to any security scenario or development, in accordance with its long-standing United Nations mandate.

He recalled that the current optimization was being carried out within the existing authorities of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and should be viewed in that context.

“The security of all communities will remain of key importance and will continue to guide KFOR’s daily activities. Good relations and effective coordination are essential to our mission. I want to make it clear that KFOR’s optimization, like all other security-related activities, will be carried out transparently and in close coordination with all relevant stakeholders, including institutions in Kosovo, international organizations, Kosovo Police and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). We will also remain in regular contact with the Serbian Armed Forces because improvements in the security situation cannot be viewed separately from the broader context of regional security. My operational experience has confirmed one fundamental lesson: a military presence can provide the necessary security, while dialogue among all stakeholders can contribute to resolving the remaining outstanding issues,” Vergori said.

KFOR, he stressed, does not take sides in political disputes.

“Our role is to maintain the security conditions that enable dialogue and political processes to move forward. That is why we will continue to support the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue as the framework for resolving outstanding issues with full respect for the rights of all communities,” Vergori said.