State Department: Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo to begin after conditions are met, including commitments to Serbs

The United States has said it expects the necessary conditions to be created for the launch of a Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo. According to Washington, these conditions include Pristina fulfilling its commitments to the Serbian community.

In a statement to Radio Free Europe, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that the United States remains committed to advancing shared interests with the people of Kosovo.

“We remain committed to advancing the shared interests of the United States and the people of Kosovo. We look forward to developing a Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo when the appropriate conditions are in place, including Kosovo fulfilling its commitments to Kosovo Serbs,” the response said.

The State Department did not specify a possible date for the start of the process, nor did it provide further details on the measures it expects Kosovo’s institutions to take.

The Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo was suspended in September 2025 “for an indefinite period” because of U.S. concerns over the actions of Kosovo’s caretaker government, the U.S. spokesperson recalled.

The response was issued on the same day that Washington opens the first round of its Strategic Dialogue with Serbia. The mechanism is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in security, the economy and foreign policy.

“Through this dialogue, the United States and Serbia will work to achieve shared objectives, including regional peace and stability, expanding ties in business and education, and building a more prosperous future,” the State Department spokesperson told Radio Free Europe.

When and why was the Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo suspended?

On September 12, 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Pristina announced that the United States had decided to halt the Strategic Dialogue with Kosovo for an indefinite period.

The embassy said at the time that the decision was linked to “concerns regarding the actions of the caretaker government,” which it said “have increased tensions and instability.” According to the embassy, these developments limited the United States’ ability to cooperate productively with Kosovo on shared priorities.

The decision was made after steps taken by Kosovo authorities against Serbian institutions operating in Kosovo.

The authorities had also publicly criticized Kosovo’s Constitutional Court over a ruling concerning the mandate of members of parliament.

For Washington, these issues contributed to rising political tensions and made cooperation more difficult. The caretaker government, meanwhile, defended its actions, describing them as “legal and constitutional.”

What is expected of Kosovo regarding Serbs?

For years, the United States and the European Union have called on Kosovo to implement agreements reached in the EU-mediated dialogue with Serbia.

The main requests include establishing the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities and guaranteeing a degree of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo, in line with the 2023 Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Annex.

The West also seeks a resolution of disputes with the Serbian Orthodox Church, the protection of religious freedoms, and the avoidance of unilateral steps in northern Kosovo. According to Washington, such actions have heightened tensions with the Serbian community.

Pristina maintains that obligations arising from the dialogue should be implemented reciprocally. Kosovo says its measures in the north, from removing the Serbian dinar from circulation to closing most Serbian parallel institutions, were undertaken to extend the rule of law. / RFE