Rama: Albania would stand by Kosovo if it comes to the use of weapons

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stated in an interview for ATV that Albania would defend Kosovo if diplomatic options were exhausted and weapons were used, adding that he prayed such a situation never arose.

"But if it comes to that, Albania will definitely stand by Kosovo. There is no doubt that Albania has stood, stands, and will stand by Kosovo in any case, even if, God forbid, things escalate to the point where talking is no longer an option, but weapons were to be used," he said.

When asked how Albania would react if Kosovo were attacked, Rama replied that Kosovo was not alone.

"Albania is a NATO member and is not a geographical entity with a special relationship with Kosovo, and any attack on Kosovo is an attack on Albania. On the other hand, Kosovo is not alone and has strategic allies without which it could not exist as a state. For this reason, we must consider the importance of Kosovo's allies," Rama added.

However, he believes that leaders in Kosovo and Albania should think about the future to make Kosovo and Albania more respected on the international stage.

"We must lead our countries to a reality where our allies respect us," he said.

The Albanian Prime Minister points out that if problems are not resolved through dialogue, they can be not only dangerous but also fatal.

"It is important not to lose sight of the fact that we are better than ever, but everything achieved can be turned upside down if we take it for granted and do not address it through dialogue, constructively, with a sense of the future," Rama said.

He says that the attack on Banjska is a "dangerous turning point" for the coexistence of the six countries in the Western Balkans.

"We have never been good, although undoubtedly we are not without problems, and it is not that we have not seen dangerous turning points in the recent past, and the one related to Banjska was indeed a dangerous turn. It was a very dramatic moment in the coexistence of the six countries in the Western Balkans community, and we have been very clear about that," Rama said. /atvlive.tv

Regarding the accusations by US presidential candidate Donald Trump of insufficient defense spending, he said that Albania would fulfill its obligations within NATO and would contribute two percent of its budget to its own military expenses.

"We do not see this obligation as a commitment given to the president or any other president, but as a commitment undertaken within NATO, where we have the privilege to be a part of and where we will seriously fulfill all obligations agreed at that table, where everyone in terms of size and budget must contribute two percent of their budget for their own military expenses, and on the other hand, of course, we will continue to increase our military capacities, not because we are preparing for war in our region," Rama said.

He says that Albania is determined to fulfill the obligations it has undertaken.

Rama noted that the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken showed that the United States considered Albania an important country and especially took into account the role Albania had taken on in the region.

He states that Albania has elevated its international positioning and representation to a higher level.

"Today, Albania has risen to another level in terms of its international positioning and representation, thanks to a series of very important steps we have taken in our foreign policy," Rama said.