The Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, has praised the Turkish command of the KFOR mission in Kosovo, telling the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that the contribution of these troops is key in maintaining security in Kosovo.
The statement was made public in a press release from NATO on Monday when Rutte visited Turkey.
“Rutte also congratulated Turkey on the successful conclusion of the command of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, saying that ‘your continued contribution of troops is key to maintaining a safe environment for everyone in Kosovo.’ said in the communique.
Rutte has praised Turkey for its contribution to the North Atlantic Alliance, noting that Turkey has the second largest army in NATO and spends more than two percent of its gross domestic product on defense.
Both have also talked about the war in Ukraine. Rutte has praised Turkey for supporting Ukraine with ammunition, artillery and other aid while saying that it also plays a key role in the Wheat Agreements and other diplomatic efforts.
Turkish Army Major General Ozkan Ulutash led the KFOR mission until October 11. After him, Italian Major General Enrico Barduani took over.