The Presidency of Kosovo has stated that the U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Alexander Kasanof, has confirmed that none of the decisions made so far by former U.S. President Donald Trump "at this time" negatively impact Kosovo.
Bekim Kupina, media advisor to Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani, told Radio Free Europe that this confirmation was made by Kasanof during a meeting in Washington with Osmani's Chief of Staff, Learta Hollaj.
This statement from the Presidency comes after Trump, on the day he took office, signed an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. international aid programs for 90 days while reviewing their alignment with his policy objectives.
On January 21, Radio Free Europe reached out to the U.S. Embassy in Pristina and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to inquire whether this decision would affect aid allocated for Kosovo but received no response.
According to USAID’s website, over $1 billion has been spent on Kosovo’s development since 1999. Currently, USAID funds various initiatives in Kosovo, including legislative reform support, improving inclusivity and accountability, addressing corruption challenges, and enhancing trade competitiveness.
Such aid has continued even during periods when the U.S. and the EU have criticized Kosovo’s government for decisions affecting the predominantly Serb-inhabited northern municipalities. These include actions like the removal of the Serbian dinar from circulation, expropriation in the north for constructing police bases, and shutting down parallel institutions operating under Serbia’s system.
In a press release from the Presidency regarding the meeting, Kasanof emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
This dialogue, mediated by the European Union and supported by the United States, aims to fully normalize relations between the two countries. Senior U.S. officials have previously expressed hope that the process will conclude with mutual recognition—a goal Kosovo actively seeks. However, Serbia insists on a compromise solution where neither side emerges as a definitive winner or loser.
Hollaj, according to the statement, also discussed the Kosovo-U.S. strategic dialogue with Kasanof, including expectations from this process and the areas it would cover.
On January 10, President Osmani announced that Kosovo and the United States would soon finalize an agreement for a strategic dialogue between the two countries. According to her, this dialogue would address critical areas of interest to Kosovo’s citizens.
The U.S. engages in strategic dialogues with several countries to deepen partnerships across various sectors. Nations involved in such dialogues include North Macedonia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Romania, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Moldova, Greece, Liechtenstein, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, and others.