London, 10 April 2026
During his official visit to the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the London Defence Conference.
Speaking about hybrid warfare, Prime Minister Kurti said that it is not a substitute for conventional warfare but rather a preparatory phase for it. He added that it has become the norm everywhere and that nowadays it is considered newsworthy if there is no hybrid warfare in an election cycle.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized the importance of building resilience and adaptability in response to this challenge, and also spoke about its impacts in the Western Balkans.
“There is no reason for much relaxation, so to speak, because Serbia is a proxy of Russia, and there are 48 forward operating bases around the border of my country. All of them are within what is known as NATO’s security zone. The Kremlin has an office within Serbia’s Ministry of Defence in Belgrade, and the regional centres of RT and Sputnik for the Balkans are located in Serbia,” said the Prime Minister.
He stressed the need for the rule of law, the fight against corruption, respect for human rights, and greater solidarity.
Speaking in the context of Russian aggression and security challenges for Europe, the Prime Minister said that Ukraine represents an opportunity for Europe to unite at a higher level.
“I believe that if the European Union manages to navigate certain challenges in this decade, the next decade could very well be the EU’s decade. I am very optimistic that both NATO, and especially the United Kingdom and the United States, can play a major role,” he added.
Prime Minister Kurti also spoke about the importance of developing the defence industry, particularly the production of weapons and ammunition, as well as the education of young people.
“What I do in my country, the Republic of Kosovo, is engage with young people. It is very important that we engage with youth, because we are losing contact. The gap between generations is problematic, and hybrid warfare can be fatal,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
