(11 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pristina – 11 March 2025
1. Various of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani
2. Close of NATO flag
3. Various of meeting between Rutte and Osmani
4. Media
5. Wide of Rutte and Osmani
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General:
"Well, here I would side with President Trump. First of all, I want to really note the fact that thanks to him, there has now been a breakthrough when it comes to Ukraine in terms of starting talks with both the Russians and the Ukrainians. That is important. It’s good that the French and the Brits have taken initiative, that when a peace deal or a ceasefire would happen in Ukraine, that there will be this issue of security guarantees. One way to do that would be European troops in Ukraine. But there could also be other ways to do this. I think President Trump is right that before you can keep a peace, you first need to have the peace. And the peace is not yet there. But at the same time, we all agree you have to work in parallel because when a ceasefire is there or a peace deal is there, you have to be sure that you can somehow guarantee that peace. And one of the most to do that is what the French and the British are working on as many other countries. And that conversation is important is also in close conjunction with the United States. But again, to President Trump’s argument, first, a peace deal before we can keep any peace."
7. Media
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General:
"A secure Western Balkans region means more security across the whole Euro-Atlantic area. We must be clear-eyed on what lies ahead. Decades of hard-won peace must not be jeopardized. KFOR (Kosovo Force led by NATO) is fully posture to respond to any relevant security developments. And in that regard, we look forward to continued cooperation between Pristina and KFOR in line with decades of lasting commitments. This is important for us. NATO will continue to play its part within our mandates for security of all. We do this in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law mission in Kosovo, Eulex, and our respective roles as security responders. Having said that, stability in the region ultimately depends on all sides choosing diplomacy over violence. The solution to long-standing peace is political. In this respect, NATO will continue to fully support the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, led by the European Union. This is the only way to solve pending issues and secure a stable future, ensuring that the rights of all communities are respected and safeguarded. And to move this dialog forward, both sides must show flexibility."
9. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
In his first trip to the once-volatile Western Balkans, NATO’s secretary general on Tuesday underlined the alliance’s “steadfast commitment” to its security and also urged both Kosovo and Serbia of flexibility in their normalization talks.
Mark Rutte came to Kosovo after his first stop in Bosnia a day earlier, where he reassured the authorities of the military alliance’s “unwavering” support for its territorial integrity after a series of Bosnian Serb separatist moves raised tensions nearly 30 years after the end of a bloody war.
“A secure Western Balkans region means more security across the whole Euro-Atlantic area,” said Rutte.
“We must be clear-eyed on what lies ahead. Decades of hard-won peace must not be jeopardized,“ he added.
Serbia doesn’t recognize Kosovo’s independence.
AP video by Florent Bajrami
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