EditKosovo starts accepting third-party deportees from the U.S.
For Pristina, the move is an opportunity to curry favor at a time when U.S. foreign policy pivots toward "America First," potentially straining traditional alliances
In a quiet but telling expansion of bilateral cooperation, Kosovo has begun accepting migrants deported from the United States who are not originally from the Balkan nation, marking the latest chapter in a relationship forged in the fires of NATO bombs and sustained by unwavering American support.
Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti that his country had started accepting deportees from the U.S., mentioning that only one or two have arrived so far.
“We are accepting those that the U.S. did not want on their territory,” Kurti told Kanal10 television, underscoring Kosovo’s willingness to shoulder a small but symbolic burden. The agreement, reached with the Trump administration, commits Kosovo – home to just 1.6 million people – to initially receiving 50 third-party nationals, with only one or two having arrived so far.
Details on their origins remain undisclosed, but the move aligns with U.S. efforts to offload deportees from countries like China, India, and Latin American nations that have resisted repatriation.
Kurti serves in a caretaker capacity as Kosovo’s PM because his Vetëvendosje party has been unable to secure the required 61 votes in the Assembly to form a third full-term government amid opposition boycotts and coalition impasses, resulting in the failure of confidence votes in October and November 2025 and paving the way for fresh elections by early 2026.
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This development builds on Kosovo’s existing forays into hosting foreign detainees, including a 2023 deal with Denmark to accept up to 300 prisoners starting in 2027 in exchange for €210 million over a decade. Pristina has also signalled interest in similar arrangements with Britain, positioning itself as a pragmatic partner in Europe’s migration management.
At its core, the pact reflects the extraordinary depth of Kosovo-U.S. relations, a bond that dates back to the late 1990s when Washington spearheaded NATO’s 78-day bombing campaign against Serbia to halt ethnic cleansing by Slobodan Milošević’s forces.
That 1999 intervention, which forced Serbian withdrawal and deployed 7,000 U.S. troops to the subsequent peacekeeping mission – more than any other nation – paved the way for Kosovo’s fragile autonomy under UN administration.
By 2008, as Kosovo declared independence from Belgrade, the U.S. was the first major power to recognize it, with then-President George W. Bush affirming on 18 February 2008: “Kosovo’s independence is a historic step forward.”
Over 100 UN members have since followed suit, but U.S. backing – bolstered by a permanent embassy in Pristina and Camp Bondsteel, America’s largest overseas base in the Balkans – remains the cornerstone.
The relationship has evolved into multifaceted support: Since 1999, Washington has funneled nearly $2 billion in aid for economic development, rule-of-law reforms, and civil society.
A 2016 Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, endorsed by the U.S., marked Pristina’s first step toward membership, while American diplomats have mediated the prickly Belgrade-Pristina dialogue since 2010 to normalize ties with Serbia.
Kosovo’s pro-American fervor is palpable – U.S. flags adorn public buildings, and Bill Clinton Boulevard in Pristina honors the former president – earning it a reputation as one of the world’s most grateful allies.
While the U.S. imposed a modest 10% baseline tariff on Kosovo’s exports in April 2025 as part of Trump’s reciprocal trade policy, Serbia faces a far steeper 35% levy – reduced from an initial 37% in August – reflecting Washington’s perception of greater trade imbalances and geopolitical frictions with Belgrade.
Yet, the deportation deal carries undercurrents of pragmatism. For Trump, who pledged “the largest deportation operation in American history,” finding willing partners is crucial amid domestic pushback.
For Kosovo, it’s an opportunity to curry favor at a time when U.S. foreign policy pivots toward “America First,” potentially straining traditional alliances. In a region shadowed by Serbia’s non-recognition and Russian influence, America’s embrace remains Kosovo’s most reliable anchor.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Caption: Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti looks on after posing for a family photo following the EU-Western Balkans leaders meeting in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, 1 July 2025. EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI
Updated: December 12, 2025 - 17:18
