NATO has clarified that troop reductions will happen «gradually and according to the circumstances on the ground.»

NATO has revealed its intention to decrease the number of troops deployed in Kosovo over the forthcoming year, citing an «enhanced security environment» as the reason.

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Approximately 4,600 NATO troops currently form the alliance’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo, established in June 1999 after NATO’s aerial campaign against the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, which brought an end to the Kosovo conflict.

Known as the Kosovo Force (KFOR), its original mission encompassed preventing the resurgence of hostilities and maintaining law and order while overseeing the disarmament of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

«The present circumstances offer a chance to further optimize both the size and deployment of KFOR,» stated US Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, in a press release issued on Friday.

He emphasized that NATO and KFOR remain «fully dedicated to security and safety in Kosovo,» noting that their efforts have «contributed to improved stability» as domestic security agencies have grown more effective.

Over the course of the year, planned «measured reductions» in troop numbers are anticipated, with NATO assuring these will proceed «gradually and aligned with conditions on the ground.»

The alliance noted that if the security environment shifts, these reductions might be reversed.

In response to heightened tensions in 2023, NATO dispatched up to 1,000 extra troops to Kosovo — marking the most significant reinforcement of its peacekeeping operation in a decade. This deployment followed clashes between Serb gunmen and local police in northern Kosovo.

Since the end of the Kosovo war, NATO peacekeepers have been involved in aiding displaced individuals and refugees, clearing landmines, securing borders, and destroying weapons. Additionally, they have supported the establishment of the Kosovo Security Force.