NATO will do what is necessary to ensure the stability in the Western Balkans region, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday ahead of the NATO ministerial summit.

“Rest assured NATO will do what is necessary to sustain or to ensure stability in the region because this is important not only for western Balkans but for the whole of Europe and NATO,” he said ahead of the meeting that will discuss the war in Gaza and NATO's support to Ukraine as well as the situation in the Western Balkans.

Stoltenberg recalled of his recent visit to the region – to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia where he met with leaders from the whole region, and warned about the “increasing tensions.”

NATO’s Stoltenberg expresses concern over secessionist rhetoric in Bosnia

“We have seen increased tensions and inflammatory rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we have seen some serious incidents of violence in Kosovo including attack on NATO peacekeepers,” he stressed.

He also emphasised the NATO presence in the region and working together with other partners, namely the EU and EU military deployment in Bosnia – EUFOR as well as the presence in Kosovo, which was reinforced by a thousand more troops.

“We will work closely with partners with allies in the region to ensure that we do what is possible to reduce tensions and prevent further escalation of the conflict,” he said.