Albin Kurti in New York defends hard line despite U.S. Strategic Dialogue freeze

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti showed no sign of backing down from his stance on northern Kosovo during a talk in New York, even as U.S.–Kosovo relations remain strained following Washington’s suspension of the Strategic Dialogue earlier this year.

Why is this important: Kurti’s refusal to address U.S. concerns highlights a widening rift with Washington and Brussels. The EU still maintains sanctions over his handling of ethnic tensions in the north, and even Germany, once his most consistent backer, has become critical of his government’s actions, particularly after the impasse that followed the February elections. Many in both Kosovo and Albania worry that this intransigence is eroding Kosovo’s credibility with key Western partners.

Context: According to the Kosovo daily, Koha, while speaking to students at The New School in New York, Kurti defended his government’s actions in shutting down Serbian parallel structures in the north:

“It is because of the rule of law in the north of Kosovo, [sic] which turned out to be the framework of illegal Serbian structures, and here I cannot make compromises. I cannot leave this problem to your generation. I think my generation is the one that must finish this,” Kurti said.

Kurti said Kosovo had maintained cooperation with the U.S. on defense and economic initiatives but, in a rejection of US and EU demands, insisted he would not allow diplomatic considerations to override what he sees as sovereignty and the rule of law:

“Some politicians and diplomats in the U.S. think we are not helping the U.S. to detach Serbia from the Russian Federation. But frankly, this should not be my problem,” he added.

What’s else: His remarks are likely to intensify concern among Albanians and Kosovo’s Western allies that Pristina is isolating itself at a time when regional tensions remain high and international support is crucial.