Kosovo’s Ministry of Defense has announced growing support for the country’s Security Force (FSK) from the United States. Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci is currently visiting the U.S. Department of State, where he has held high-level meetings to discuss various aspects of military collaboration, including the purchase of advanced military equipment.
Maqedonci confirmed that the FSK has received backing from the U.S. Department of Defense for the purchase of helicopters and other military systems. “One of the key topics of discussion was the continuation of the armament procurement process. Starting in 2025, Kosovo’s Security Force will enter the third phase of its transition, which will require more advanced systems, especially military support systems such as helicopters and air defense radars,” Maqedonci stated. He emphasized that the U.S. has committed to supporting Kosovo in building these new capabilities, with significant military purchases planned for the near future.
In addition to the helicopters, the FSK is also set to receive a substantial number of Javelin anti-tank missile systems this year. “We discussed integrating the Javelin anti-tank missile system into our existing anti-tank capabilities. We have received support to ensure that, at least this year, we will acquire a specific quantity of these missiles. Additionally, we plan to complete the purchase of all anti-tank equipment in the coming year,” Maqedonci explained.
The Minister also revealed that, for the first time, FSK troops will be deployed to the Middle East alongside the Iowa National Guard. “We’ve discussed steps to facilitate international agreements for the deployment of Kosovo’s Security Force in a critical military operation in the Middle East. We aim to coordinate this with the Iowa National Guard. We’ve also informed the U.S. Department of Defense about the progress made in enhancing the military capabilities of the FSK,” Maqedonci said.
Moreover, Maqedonci shared that FBI experts are currently assisting Kosovo Police in the investigation of an attack on the Ibër-Lepenc canal infrastructure. “At the U.S. Department of State, we were briefed on the involvement of FBI experts, who are supporting our institutions in the investigation. Both the U.S. Department of State and we have discussed that the final outcome will identify the actors involved in the attack on critical infrastructure, which we suspect was carried out by terrorist groups led by Radojičić,” he noted.
Finally, during his meetings, Minister Maqedonci confirmed a strong commitment to Kosovo’s support for the Adriatic Charter and future integration into NATO and other international structures.