Donald Trump congratulates Kosovo on its 18th anniversary, reaffirms US support

The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has congratulated Kosovo on the 18th anniversary of its declaration of independence, reaffirming the unwavering support of the United States for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The news was announced by the Presidency of Kosovo, which announced that in the letter sent by Trump, Kosovo is congratulated for its role in establishing the "Peace Board" initiative, as well as for supporting American efforts to resolve global problems, including the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza and other international issues.

"As the relationship between our two countries continues to grow, we look forward to expanding our partnership through trade and investment cooperation. The United States stands ready to work with Kosovo to advance peace and stability for the common good," the letter states, among other things.

According to official data, the US has allocated over $2 billion in aid to Kosovo since 1998, remaining one of the country's main political, economic, and military supporters.

Kosovo state leaders have emphasized over the years that America is Kosovo's most important strategic partner and that its support is considered vital for the development and consolidation of statehood.

In this context, Kosovo has recently joined Trump's initiative, the "Peace Board", through which the US aims to contribute to ending conflicts in the world and strengthening international stability.

However, relations between Pristina and Washington have also been fraught with tension. On several occasions, American officials have expressed concerns about actions by the previous government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, which dealt with issues affecting the Serb minority and which, according to them, were unilateral and uncoordinated with international partners.

As a result of these developments, the US last year suspended the launch of the Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo.

However, the US Embassy in Pristina has announced in recent weeks that Washington is willing to restart this process and work with Kurti, who last week began his third term as prime minister.

The US was among the first countries to recognize Kosovo's independence, declared on February 17, 2008. So far, Kosovo's statehood has been recognized by 121 countries, while the challenge remains the non-recognition by four NATO member states and five European Union countries, organizations where Kosovo aims to join in the future.