The German parliament voted late on Thursday to extend NATO’s mission in Kosovo (KFOR) for another year.
391 lawmakers voted in favor of extending the Kosovo mission, with 189 against.
The Kosovo mission, which began in June 1999, is the longest-running deployment of the German military abroad and has lasted 26 years. The mandate authorizes the Bundeswehr to deploy up to 400 soldiers to Kosovo.
“Since the start of the mission, the situation in Kosovo and the Western Balkans region has stabilized,” the German Defense Ministry said, but added that the potential for conflict and escalation remains.
Tensions remain, especially in northern Kosovo, which is predominantly populated by ethnic Serbs, the ministry said.
The Bundeswehr has been stepping up its contribution to KFOR since April 2024, and this commitment is planned to continue until May 2027.
At the same time, the Bundestag extended the deployment of troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year.
Germany can send up to 300 soldiers to the UNIFIL mission, and more than 100 are currently serving there. The German Navy provides ships and personnel to monitor maritime activities off the Lebanese coast in order to prevent unauthorized arms transfers into the country.
The UNIFIL mission, established in 1978, is one of the longest-running UN peacekeeping operations, AA writes.
