Rutte: NATO remains committed to the Western Balkans despite omission from final document

(Patria) - At a press conference following the NATO summit in the Netherlands, newly elected Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the omission of the Western Balkans from the summit's final communiqué, which sparked certain reactions in the region.

Rutte explained that this document differs from the usual final declarations – it is shorter, more concise, and focused on key strategic directions, which is why some issues were not directly mentioned. However, he stressed that this does not mean a loss of interest or a diminished importance of the region for NATO.

– We tried to make it a concise communiqué, and that is why the Western Balkans was not mentioned. We are focused on the entire Western Balkans. I recently visited Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I had very useful and pleasant talks with state leaders – Rutte said.

He added that NATO is closely monitoring the situation in the region and is working closely with the European Union, especially in coordination with future European Commission President Kaja Kallas.

Rutte thus sought to allay concerns that the Western Balkans might be sidelined in NATO's new security architecture, emphasizing that the region remains of strategic importance for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area.