Turkey hands over command of NATO peacekeeping force to Italy
The official handover ceremony for the command of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) was held in Pristina, and responsibility for the mission was transferred from Turkey to Italy after one year.
The ceremony was attended by Kosovo President Yustina Shiroka Pula; Prime Minister Albin Kurti; Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces; Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto; and senior NATO officials. The command of the peacekeeping force was handed over from Turkish Major General Özkan Ulutaş to Italian Major General Roberto Vergori.
At the ceremony, the President of Kosovo thanked the Turkish commander for his service, emphasized the importance of the presence of NATO forces in ensuring the country’s security, and described NATO membership as one of Kosovo’s strategic goals.
Turkey had assumed command of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo for the first time in 2023–2024 and for the second time starting October 3, 2025. NATO peacekeeping forces have been deployed in Kosovo since 1999, and currently more than 4,500 military personnel from 31 countries are participating in the mission. Turkish forces have also been present in Kosovo since the beginning of this mission.
