Kosovo left out of NATO summit in Ankara as alliance vows to prevent security vacuum

Kosovo had no delegation at the NATO summit held in Ankara, and neither did Bosnia‑Herzegovina or Serbia. Only the NATO‑member states from the Western Balkans—Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and North Macedonia—were represented.

NATO officials told regional media that the alliance will not allow a security vacuum to develop in the Balkans and reiterated KFOR’s ongoing role in maintaining stability in Kosovo. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted Turkey’s leadership of the KFOR mission and the sizable Turkish military presence in Kosovo.

The exclusion sparked varied reactions within Kosovo, with local commentators questioning the lack of representation while NATO emphasized that Balkan stability remains a core part of its agenda.