Sljuka: If Kurti remains in power, he will have to change course to improve relations with the US

Kosovo has not completely lost America's trust, but rather, it is the current administration in Pristina that has lost it. Restoring that trust would be much easier with an opposition party or a coalition of opposition parties in power. However, if Albin Kurti, who is seen as a problematic factor, remains in office, he will have to make a shift in policy, Aleksandar Sljuka, an associate of the NGO "New Social Initiative," tells Kosovo Online.

The US has been Kosovo’s most important partner for many years, both financially and in terms of international support, and Sljuka stresses that Kosovo needs the US far more than the other way around.

"If Kurti secures a third term, his administration will have to reestablish and improve relations with the US. The best-case scenario would be for Kurti himself to change course or for new figures within his administration, those with connections to individuals in Trump's team, to take the lead on this. We will likely see messages signaling a willingness to cooperate with all American administrations and to emphasize shared values. However, it will all depend on how this is received by the other side and whether Trump’s administration will be open to accepting this olive branch and moving forward, as well as how sincere both sides will be," Sljuka explains.

He says that tensions between Kurti and the US existed even during his first term.

"Richard Grenell and Trump’s circle were more aligned with other political actors in Kosovo, while Kurti expressed distrust toward them and was openly supportive of the Democrats," Sljuka points out.

As for the opposition, he notes that Alliance for the Future of Kosovo leader Ramush Haradinaj recently met with Richard Grenell in the US. He also highlights that the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo have never had problematic relations with the US administration since Kosovo declared independence.

However, Sljuka believes that Trump and his top officials will not focus much on Kosovo or Kurti, but Grenell will.

"The question remains how influential Grenell actually is within Trump’s administration and whether he has enough leverage to pressure Kurti over the poor relationship. We will see how things unfold in the coming period. First, we need to see who wins the elections. Kosovo is certainly facing a turbulent time ahead," Sljuka concludes.