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NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said the alliance is closely monitoring what Russia is doing in the Western Balkans, but currently sees no military threat to any NATO member in the region.
Speaking Nov. 21 in Skopje during the final leg of a Western Balkans tour, Stoltenberg note NATO’s military presence in Kosovo and its ties to Sarajevo and Belgrade as he touted the alliance’s preparedness.
“We are prepared to intervene quickly and do whatever it takes to defend every ally against any threat, but we do not see anything that would pose a threat to a NATO ally,” he said. of a joint press conference with Prime Minister Dimitar. Kovecevski, who acknowledged that there was no threat from Russia to the security and stability of North Macedonia and the region.
Kovacevski, however, said the country and NATO were fighting against Russian influence in the region.
“The influence of third countries, including Russian influence, exists in the region, and they are always able to find like-minded people among individuals, in some political parties and in some organizations,” he said. -he declares.
But attempts to destabilize the country are being overtaken by the institutions of North Macedonia and those of NATO member states, he said in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s statement that there is information according to which Russia has a plan to destabilize the Balkans.
Stoltenberg said the response to authoritarian states that want to undermine freedom, spread disinformation, sow division and undermine democracy must be “to work even more closely within NATO through our military presence and cooperation.” with our allies and partners, because we are a truly great force.” for stability in the region. »
The NATO chief arrived in North Macedonia from Serbia. He also visited Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.
Earlier in Belgrade, Stoltenberg said NATO and Serbia were exploring the possibility of resuming joint military exercises.
Serbia, which has declared neutrality but maintains close traditional ties with Moscow, stopped participating in multinational military exercises after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine began in February last year.
“We discussed the possibility of resuming joint military exercises,” Stoltenberg said at a joint news conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
“This does not undermine the neutrality of Serbia, which has made it clear that it remains militarily neutral, outside the military blocs,” he said, adding that Belgrade remains an important regional player and partner to long term of NATO, citing as an example Serbia’s participation in the Partnership for Peace program of the alliance, composed of 30 members.
Vucic described Serbia’s cooperation with NATO and the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo as good and correct, adding that he would ask his government to consider resuming Belgrade’s participation in joint exercises. “with NATO and other partners”.
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia increased after an attack by an armed group against Kosovo police in the village of Banjska, northern Kosovo, on September 24, during which a Kosovo police officer and three attackers were killed. been killed.
Responsibility for the shooting was claimed by Milan Radoicic, former vice president of the Belgrade-backed Serbian List, Kosovo’s largest ethnic Serb party. Radoicic was briefly detained in Serbia, then released pending further proceedings.
NATO announced an increase in KFOR troops a few days after the shooting in Banjska.
Stoltenberg said on November 21 that the perpetrators of the attack must be brought to justice.
“We welcome the fact that Serbia is ready to cooperate,” Stoltenberg said.
Vucic said Serbia welcomed the strengthened KFOR presence in Kosovo, saying only ethnic Serbs had been attacked there since 2001.
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