NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ambassador Boris Ruge, concluded a series of high-level consultations in the Western Balkans, reinforcing the Alliance’s commitment to regional stability.
According to a NATO press release, from 16 to 22 August 2024, Ambassador Ruge held meetings in Sarajevo, Pristina, and Belgrade.
The meetings underscored the Western Balkans’ strategic importance to NATO and reiterated the Allies’ dedication to ensuring lasting security in the region.
During his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ruge met with senior officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmedin Konakovic, and the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt. He spoke of NATO’s long-standing engagement in the country, stating, “NATO has been engaged in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 3 decades; we remain strongly committed to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and we will not allow any type of security vacuum to emerge.”
In Pristina, Ambassador Ruge held discussions with President Vjosa Osmani and senior officials from various international organisations, including the European Union, OSCE, QUINT group, and the NATO-led KFOR mission.
Addressing the sensitive issue of the Austerlitz bridge over the Ibar river in Mitrovica, Ruge stressed that “decisions must be taken through dialogue and in a coordinated manner,” reflecting NATO’s support for the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina as the primary means to resolve ongoing political issues.
The visit also included consultations in Belgrade with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Foreign Minister Marko Djuric. In these meetings, Ruge expressed hope for deepening the NATO-Serbia partnership and urged Serbia to ensure accountability for violent incidents in Kosovo during 2023.
“We had good exchanges on the various aspects of NATO-Serbia partnership, which we hope to deepen, and on the Alliance’s efforts across the region,” Ruge noted, calling on Serbia to play a constructive role in fostering good neighbourly relations in the Balkans.
