![]() | |
![]() Kosovo | ![]() United States |
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Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Kosovo, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Pristina |
Envoy | |
Ambassador Ilir Dugolli | Ambassador Jeff Hovenier |
Kosovo was officially recognized as a country by the United States on February 18, 2008, one day after Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. [1] [2] Since then, the two countries have maintained relations, with Kosovo considering the United States one of its most important allies. Kosovo has dedicated several monuments to American politicians considered instrumental to the nation's independence, especially Bill Clinton. A majority of Kosovars approve of the United States government, often posting the highest percentages in polls among European nations.
In 2009, then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Kosovo. In 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump mediated economic diplomacy efforts between Kosovo and Serbia, hosting negotiations for the Kosovo–Serbia economic agreement at the White House in Washington, D.C.
The US established full diplomatic relations at Ambassador level with the Republic of Kosovo. [3] Kosovo considers the United States its greatest partner in gaining recognition from the rest of the world, and such view is also expressed from United States Officials. [4]
The United States and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on February 18, 2008. U.S. President George W. Bush on February 19, 2008 stated that recognizing Kosovo as an independent nation would "bring peace to a region scarred by war". [5] The bilateral ties the United States shares with Kosovo are maintained through the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, which was opened on April 8, 2008 by then-Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Tina Kaidanow. Prior to the declaration of independence, the United States maintained U.S. Office Pristina (USOP), with a chief of mission. The US also continues to contribute troops to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), and will be providing staff to the ICO and EULEX missions.
During the European Commission-hosted international Donors' Conference on July 11, 2008 the United States pledged $400 million for 2008–2009 to support, among many other things, helping relieve debt Kosovo may inherit. U.S. assistance in Kosovo continues to support governance through strengthening civil society and political processes, especially targeting minority communities, and aims to strengthen economic institutions and help private enterprise grow.
In May 2009, then Vice President Biden visited Kosovo and was greeted by large crowds. [6] He affirmed the US position that Kosovan "independence is irreversible". [6] The Obama administration remained committed to Kosovo. [7] In August 2016, Vice President Joe Biden, visited Kosovo and attended a ceremony that renamed a southeastern highway "Joseph R. 'Beau' Biden, III" to honour his son Beau's contribution to Kosovo for training its judges and prosecutors. [2] [8] [9] The US has a large military base in Kosovo named Camp Bondsteel, and it forms part of its defence strategy for the region. [7]
Kosovo has named certain places in Pristina after U.S. leaders such as Bill Clinton Boulevard and George W. Bush Street. [10] [11] [2] [7] Around Pristina, other streets are named after former military commanders involved in the NATO campaign, honouring their role to conflict between local Albanians and the Yugoslav army. [2] The capital also has a women's clothing shop named Hillary, after Hillary Clinton and atop on some large buildings and hotels architectural features replicating US monuments and symbols like the Statue of Liberty or the bald eagle. [2] In Kosovo, Bill Clinton is considered an iconic figure and hero. [7] [2] Many US flags are flown throughout Kosovo from buildings. [7] The US donated funds and built one of the largest film studios in Europe, located in the suburbs of Pristina. [12]
Widespread sentiments of gratitude are held by people in Kosovo to the US for playing a major role in ending Serb control of the area. [7] [8] These sentiments increased, including support toward the US, especially after it recognised Kosovan independence. [7] The Kosovo population also support the US engagement with the Balkans, which is viewed as anti-Serbian. [7] After the Kosovo War, the US remains popular among the Kosovo Albanian population. [7] According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 87% of Kosovars approve of U.S. leadership, the highest rating for any survey in Europe. [13] According to a 2016 report by Gallup, Kosovo led the region and the world again in approval for the second consecutive year, with 85% approving of U.S. leadership. [14] According to a recent report by Gallup of U.S. Leadership on Trump's term, Kosovo led the region and the world again in approving of U.S leadership with 75% approval. [15]
On October 4, 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Richard Grenell as the Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations. [16] After months of diplomatic talks, on January 20, 2020, Serbia and Kosovo agreed to restore flights between Belgrade and Pristina for the first time in over 20 years. [17] [18]
On September 4, 2020, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, signed an agreement on the normalisation of economic relations between Serbia and Kosovo at the White House. [19] The deal will encompass freer transit, including by rail and road, while both parties agreed to work with the Export–Import Bank of the United States and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and to join the Mini Schengen Zone, but the agreement also included the mutual recognition between Israel and Kosovo. [20] [21]
The United States, along with other western countries like France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom have engaged with the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to find a practical solution which would allow eligible citizens of Kosovo to exercise their right to participate in Serbia’s 2022 elections. [22]
The sixth and current United States Ambassador to Kosovo is Jeffrey Hovenier. [23]
Ilir Dugolli is the current ambassador from Kosovo to the U.S. The Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo in the United States is located in Washington DC. There also exist two Consulates of Kosovo within the U.S. located in New York City, NY and Des Moines, IA.
Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a country in Southeast Europe with partial diplomatic recognition. Kosovo lies landlocked in the centre of the Balkans, bordered by Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the southeast, Albania to the southwest, and Montenegro to the west. Most of central Kosovo sits on the plains of Metohija and the Kosovo field. The Accursed Mountains and Šar Mountains rise in the southwest and southeast, respectively. Kosovo's capital and largest city is Pristina.
Music of Kosovo is music that originates from Kosovo, a country in the Balkans. Kosovo's population is mainly Kosovo Albanians, also known as Kosovars, and there are various minority ethnic groups as well. Kosovan music is closely related to that of neighbouring Albania, as well as to that of countries in the former Yugoslavia.
Hashim Thaçi is a Kosovar Albanian politician who was the president of Kosovo from April 2016 until his resignation on 5 November 2020 to face a war crimes tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity. He was the first prime minister of Kosovo and the Foreign minister and deputy prime minister in the new cabinet led by Isa Mustafa, which assumed office on 12 December 2014.
The Albanians of Kosovo, also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars, constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo.
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, which proclaimed the Republic of Kosovo to be a state independent from Serbia, was adopted at a meeting held on 17 February 2008 by 109 out of the 120 members of the Assembly of Kosovo, including the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, and by the President of Kosovo, Fatmir Sejdiu. It was the second declaration of independence by Kosovo's Albanian-majority political institutions; the first was proclaimed on 7 September 1990.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Kosovo, a country in the Southeastern Europe.
Richard Allen Grenell is an American political operative, diplomat, TV personality, and public relations consultant. He served as Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under President Donald Trump’s in 2020, becoming the first openly gay holder of a cabinet level position in the history of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, Grenell served as the United States Ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020 and as the Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations from 2019 to 2021.
Kosovo–Turkey relations are the historic and current relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Turkey. Kosovo has an embassy in Ankara and Turkey has an embassy in Prishtina. Both nations are predominantly Muslim and have sought to join the EU.
Albania–Kosovo relations refer to the current, cultural and historical relations of Albania and Kosovo. Albania has an embassy in Pristina and Kosovo has an embassy in Tirana. There are 1.8 million Albanians living in Kosovo – officially 92.93% of Kosovo's entire population – and Albanian is an official language and the national language of Kosovo. Likewise, the peoples of the two countries have practically identical traditions and folklore. Kosovo is the birthplace of Albanian nationalism such as the League of Prizren. In addition, the strong relations are highlighted in successive polls showing majority of ethnic Albanians in both states wanting unification. Both countries and their citizens refer to the relationship as "one nation, two states" as highlighted in the popular pan-Albanian slogan "Jemi një".
Kosovo–North Macedonia relations are diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Kosovo unilaterally self proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008, a move which Serbia strongly rejects. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and continues to claim it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. However, differences and disputes remain, while North Kosovo is partially under Serbian rule. Initially there were no relations between the two; but in the following years there has been increased dialogue and cooperation between the two sides.
Kosovo–Saudi Arabia relations are foreign relations between the Kosovo and Saudi Arabia. Like Saudi Arabia, Kosovo has a mainly Muslim population.
The Belgrade–Prishtine negotiations are a series of European Union-facilitated talks between the governments of Serbia and Kosovo. Serbia claims Kosovo as its southern province under United Nations administration, and rejects its independence. Kosovo considers Serbia as a neighbouring state. The negotiations began in March 2011, three years after Kosovo declared independence. They are the first negotiations between the two entities since Kosovo declared independence in February 2008.
A substantial emigration from Kosovo has taken place in various phases during the second half of the 20th century. It is estimated that about a third of people born in Kosovo currently live outside Kosovo. Emigration has taken place in separate waves motivated mainly by economic reasons, but also as a result of the Kosovo War. The Kosovo diaspora is usually included in the wider Albanian diaspora with Albanians from Albania and North Macedonia.
The First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalisation of Relations, informally known as the Brussels Agreement, is an agreement to normalize relations between the governments of Serbia and Kosovo. The agreement, negotiated and concluded in Brussels under the auspices of the European Union, was signed on 19 April 2013. Negotiations were led by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, mediated by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. The government of Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state, but began normalising relations with the government of Kosovo as a result of the agreement. In Belgrade, the agreement was criticized by protestors as a convalidation of Kosovo independence.
The unification of Albania and Kosovo is a political idea, revived before and after Kosovo declared independence in 2008. This idea has been connected to the irredentist concept of Greater Albania. As of the 2021 estimate, approximately 97% of Kosovars are ethnic Albanians.
Avdullah Hoti is a Kosovan politician, who served as the prime minister of Kosovo from 3 June 2020 until 22 March 2021. He previously served as the minister of Finance of Kosovo between 2014 and 2017 in the PDK/LDK coalition government.
The Kosovo and Serbia economic normalization agreements, informally known as the Washington Agreement, are a pair of documents in which Kosovo and Serbia agreed to facilitate economic normalization among themselves. The documents were signed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti and the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić on September 4, 2020, at the White House, in the presence of the President of the United States Donald Trump.
A land exchange has been proposed between Serbia and the partially recognized state of Kosovo to make their border run along ethnic lines. Initially rejected by the international community, the little progress made by the European Union-backed Belgrade–Pristina negotiations has brought the idea into greater consideration in the EU and also in the United States. The territorial exchange is generally discussed to involve a transfer of the Preševo Valley of Serbia with an ethnic Albanian majority to Kosovo and the pass of the majority ethnic Serb region of North Kosovo of Kosovo to Serbia. The cession of the Serbian municipality of Medvedja to Kosovo has also been proposed. This municipality, although with a considerable Albanian minority, is predominantly ethnic Serbian.
The Kosovar Mathematical Society or KMS is a mathematical society founded in Kosovo in 2008. The KMS is based in Pristina, and has been a member of the European Mathematical Society since 2012.