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EU Statement – UN Security Council: Briefing on UNSCRs on UNMIK (UN Mission in Kosovo)

21.10.2025
New York

21 October 2025, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council Briefing on Security Council resolutions 1160 (1998), 1199 (1998), 1203 (1998), 1239 (1999) and 1244 (1999)

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President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania[*], and the Republic of Moldova, and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

The European Union welcomes that Serbia and Kosovo ** remain engaged in the EU-facilitated Dialogue, led by High Representative Kaja Kallas and supported by EU Special Representative Peter Sørensen. Progress on normalisation of their relations, including the implementation of the 2023 Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and previous agreements reached in the Dialogue, is among the essential conditions for the European path of both parties. 

The European Union remains deeply concerned about the situation in the northern part of Kosovo. Kosovo and Serbia must pursue sustained de-escalation efforts, in close cooperation with EULEX, refrain from unilateral and provocative actions that could lead to tensions and violence, and avoid divisive rhetoric. 

L’Union européenne tient à saluer le premier tour des élections municipales pluralistes du 12 octobre 2025 qui se sont tenues sans incident avec la participation de toutes les communautés. Nous tenons à souligner la pleine participation des Serbes du Kosovo sans pré-condition, dans les quatre municipalités du nord. Nous appelons à une passation des pouvoirs sans incident dans ces municipalités. 

We also call for cooperation between municipal and central authorities that reflects the expectations of Kosovo Serbs, previous agreements, and Kosovo law. In this context, we call on Kosovo to enable the reintegration of Kosovo Serb judges, prosecutors, police officers, and other personnel into all Kosovo institutions they left in 2022. 

The European Union expects that Serbia will take all the necessary measures to apprehend and urgently prosecute, based on substantive charges, the perpetrators of the 2023 attacks in the north of Kosovo. Serbia has taken insufficient actions in this respect. 

Nous invitons tous les députés de l’Assemblée Parlementaire du Kosovo appartenant à la communauté des Serbes du Kosovo à participer aux travaux de l’Assemblée. Nous invitons cette Assemblée ainsi que toutes les autorités politiques du Kosovo à préserver le caractère démocratique et multi-ethnique du Kosovo.   

Merci.


 

[*] North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

 

** This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.