Carafano: Little room for NATO expansion, Kosovo should focus on improving regional relations and ties with the U.S.

Senior adviser at the Heritage Foundation and American security expert James Carafano stated that, given current geopolitical developments, there is presently little room for NATO enlargement, and that Kosovo should instead focus on improving regional relations and ties with the United States, as well as enhancing stability and economic development.

In a statement to Kosovo Online, Carafano welcomed the initiative in the U.S. Congress to take a strong position regarding Kosovo’s NATO membership, adding that the Heritage Foundation had been the first American think tank to support the idea of establishing a “Kosovo army” and integrating Kosovo into NATO.

“But I have to say, I think we live in a different world now. Membership in the EU and NATO is highly symbolic, but this region lies at the heart of Europe, and those things are not necessary in order to make progress. I think the question should not be ‘how do we join NATO’ or ‘how do we join the EU,’ but rather ‘how do we improve security, stability, and the economy.’ The focus should be on those issues, without worrying about the others. Those other matters are entangled in geopolitical developments that may never align with the interests of the countries in the region,” Carafano said.

According to him, there is currently little room for NATO expansion, which, he notes, is not essential for Kosovo’s progress.

“As someone who long supported NATO enlargement, I believe there is very little appetite for expansion today. To be completely honest, I do not consider NATO enlargement crucial for Kosovo’s future security and growth,” Carafano stated.

For that reason, he believes Kosovo should focus on issues of regional recognition and improving relations with the United States, recalling that the government of Albin Kurti has not enjoyed good cooperation with Washington.

“I do not think the (Kosovo) government works well with the United States, but if that cooperation were stronger, the U.S. could be a better advocate and exert stronger influence, especially on Greece, Cyprus, and Romania, which are strong American allies. The United States has significant influence, and I believe these are countries that could be brought to the negotiating table when it comes to recognizing Kosovo,” Carafano assessed.

He added that Pristina should become a better partner to the United States because that would be in the interest of the people of Kosovo.

Speaking about the proposed resolution calling for U.S. troops to remain within the KFOR mission in Kosovo, he stated that the presence of American troops in the Balkans is beneficial to Washington in terms of cooperation with countries in the region.

“I do not believe we will withdraw American troops from the region. The U.S. Department of State in particular maintains the position that the presence of U.S. troops in KFOR makes a positive contribution, and I believe both Serbia and Kosovo want them there. The troops also provide substantial benefits for the United States in terms of understanding the region and cooperating with regional actors,” Carafano concluded.