The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) has both the military and political capability to deter any aggression against Kosovo, but a direct conflict remains unlikely as long as the mission’s troops are present, former British Army officer Ade Clewlow told KosovaPress in an interview.
Clewlow, who served 25 years in the British Army, said the Western Balkans remains unstable, partly due to European Union member states that have yet to recognize Kosovo’s independence.
“The Western Balkans is not a stable region, and this is largely due to some EU states that have not yet recognized Kosovo, contributing to the uncertainty,” he said.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, and has been recognized by more than 100 countries. However, five EU nations—Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Romania, and Cyprus—have not extended recognition, preventing Kosovo from full integration into international bodies such as NATO and the EU.
KFOR’s Role in Regional Stability
KFOR, deployed in Kosovo since 1999 after NATO’s intervention in the Kosovo war, currently has about 4,600 troops from 29 countries. The mission reinforced its presence in Kosovo two years ago following rising tensions in the north, including attacks on Kosovo police and critical infrastructure.
“KFOR is certainly much smaller now than when I was first here [in 2008], but it plays an extremely important role in deterring any external aggressors who might seek to alter Kosovo’s political landscape,” Clewlow said.
While KFOR remains the third responder to security incidents—after the Kosovo Police and the European Union’s rule of law mission (EULEX)—its presence is viewed as a key stabilizing factor.
KSF Deployment in the North a ‘Provocation’
Kosovo has a security force (KSF) that is in transition to becoming a full military. However, in 2013, Kosovo’s institutions agreed that the KSF would not deploy in the north without prior KFOR approval.
Clewlow warned that sending the KSF to northern Kosovo, where many ethnic Serbs live, could escalate tensions.
“Deploying the KSF in northern Kosovo would be, as the saying goes, ‘a red rag to a bull.’ Theoretically, the KSF should be able to operate across Kosovo, but in reality, such a move would be seen as a provocation and could lead to retaliatory actions by groups funded by Belgrade,” he said.
Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, has been accused of attempting to destabilize the region.
Kosovo’s NATO Aspirations
Kosovo has long expressed aspirations to join NATO, but Clewlow believes membership is still far off.
“Kosovo has always wanted to be a contributor to security, not a consumer of it. I would like to say that I see Kosovo joining NATO soon, but the future of NATO as an organization is being questioned—especially regarding the role of the U.S.,” he said.
“If Kosovo strengthens its ties with European allies, its chances for a stable future will improve.”
Reflections on Kosovo’s Transition
Clewlow, who arrived in Kosovo as a lieutenant colonel in 2008, played a key role in overseeing the dissolution of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) and the establishment of the KSF.
His experiences are chronicled in his book, Under a Feathered Sky: Role in the Newly Independent Kosovo, which is being promoted in Albanian in Pristina this week.
“When I came to Kosovo in 2008, I had no plans to write a book. But within weeks, I saw how political KFOR’s role was, especially regarding the transition from the KPC to the KSF,” he said.
Clewlow said he often found himself caught between competing political interests within NATO.
“A brigadier general told me to just observe and report on the KPC, but that was never going to be my approach. I saw my job as supporting and advising KPC commanders,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Clewlow described the closure of the KPC and the formation of the KSF as a moment of both reflection and optimism.
“The celebration marking the end of the KPC was like the last day of school. The KSF was ready, and we all gathered at the StoneCastle winery to mark the transition. It was a moment that captured the past but also carried great hope for the future,” he said.
