US Congressman Keith Self: Kosovo's NATO membership is key to Balkan stability

Kosovo's membership in NATO is necessary to guarantee stability and security balance in the Balkans.

This was the clear message of American Congressman Keith Self, who spoke during a Security Forum held in the American Congress, where Albanian deputies were also present.

Speaking about security challenges in the region, Self emphasized that the Balkans remains a sensitive and potentially unstable area, while emphasizing that Kosovo's membership in NATO would be an essential stabilizing factor.

"I am looking for balance in the Balkans. I want balance in the Balkans and I think one of the key parts – and I have taken it as a personal mission – is Kosovo's membership in NATO, which would be an extremely stabilizing force in the Balkans. So we need to make progress in this direction and we need to respond to the objections of some countries. I believe that this is a key part of what we are talking about today, because security in the Balkans – the Balkans today, in my opinion, is a powder keg – and we need to resolve this and bring stability to the region", declared the American congressman.

Self emphasized that without a stable security architecture, the region remains exposed to tensions and destabilizing influences, making a proactive approach by the US and its allies to strengthen collective security in the Balkans imperative.

Also present at this forum was Fatmir Mediu, chairman of the Republican Party and co-chair of the conference proceedings, who strongly supported the idea that Kosovo's membership in NATO would have a positive impact not only for Kosovo, but for the entire region.

Mediu emphasized that the expectations are that NATO member countries will agree to at least start the Kosovo membership process, appreciating the efforts that Kosovo institutions are making to meet the standards required by the alliance.

"We all hope that all NATO countries will agree, at least, to start the membership process for Kosovo. Within NATO, this will bring more stability and more partnership to our region, to the Balkans. And I think they are working hard to achieve every objective that is required to be part of the NATO alliance," Mediu said.

He also stressed the importance of close cooperation between countries in the region and Western allies, underlining that collective security is a common interest.

During the forum, participants also discussed broader Euro-Atlantic security issues, including the plan to increase the defense budget to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product for NATO member countries, A2CNN reports.

This topic was assessed as part of efforts to strengthen the alliance's defense capabilities in an increasingly uncertain global context, where the Balkans remain one of the regions that requires continued strategic attention.

The Security Forum in the US Congress served as a platform to reaffirm the support of several US lawmakers for Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic integration and to emphasize NATO's key role in maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans.