In the 2027 draft budget, Kosovo’s government has allocated more than 224 million euros to the Ministry of Defense. The state’s overall budget is projected to amount to 4.27 billion euros.
Investments to increase defense capabilities come at a time when the war in Ukraine is influencing how states plan for security and organize their armed forces.
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Speaking to the newspaper “Bota sot,” Professor Dr. Sadri Ramabaja discussed the importance of investment in defense and the lessons Kosovo can draw from developments in Ukraine.
Ramabaja says modernization should not focus solely on purchasing weapons. According to him, the country must formulate a new defense doctrine suited to a small state and to the security challenges of the 21st century.
He believes the war in Ukraine has shown that military power depends not only on the number of troops and weapons, but also on technology, intelligence, logistics and the ability to adapt to changes on the battlefield.
“The war in Ukraine is changing not only weapons systems, the way force is used or the structure of the battlefield. Above all, it is forcing states to review the doctrines on which their defense is based. This makes the question for Kosovo unavoidable: Is our current defense concept suited to the war emerging before our eyes? This is not simply a matter of the number of soldiers, armored vehicles or drones that can be purchased. It is a matter of doctrine,” Ramabaja said.
The professor notes that, because of its territory and limited resources, Kosovo cannot copy the model of military development used by major powers. Instead, it must create an asymmetric defense, with dispersed capabilities, technology, flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to new circumstances.
“A small state cannot win the arms race in the same way as a major power. But it can build an asymmetric defense doctrine. The goal should be to create a defense system that deters aggression, raises its cost, disperses defensive power and makes it difficult to neutralize the state,” he said.
According to Ramabaja, drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and systems for defending against unmanned vehicles should play an important role in the future doctrine. However, he emphasizes that purchasing equipment is not enough without a system that integrates it into military operations.
“The army of the future will not be measured only by the number of assets it possesses, but also by the speed with which it learns and adapts. A drone is not a doctrine. A drone is the product of a doctrine that understands technology, information and adaptation as part of combat power,” the professor said.
Ramabaja also considers the creation of a national resilience system essential. Alongside the Kosovo Security Force, it should include civilian institutions, critical infrastructure, the economy and society.
He stresses that in modern wars, energy, communications, hospitals, transportation and food supplies can become strategic targets. For this reason, the state must maintain the ability to function even during severe crises.
“A defensible state is one that has legitimate institutions, social cohesion, credible military capability, resilient infrastructure, an economy able to withstand a crisis, secure communications, technological capabilities and international partnerships. And, above all, it has a society that believes the state it is defending is worth defending,” he emphasized.
The professor also underlines the importance of cooperation with NATO and the United States of America. According to him, partnership with allies must proceed in parallel with the development of domestic capabilities.
Ramabaja concludes that acquiring weapons must be supported by a clear vision for defense, so that Kosovo can build a sustainable system prepared for security challenges.
“We must build the doctrine demanded by the new war. A doctrine that takes seriously the asymmetric advantage of a small state, turns technology into capability, links the Kosovo Security Force with the national resilience system and views the Euro-Atlantic alliance not as a replacement for national power, but as a force multiplier,” Ramabaja concluded.
