Residential building in Kyiv hit by a Russian missile, 26 February 2022
In this article:
– Albania refuses to play Russia in UEFA Nations League games
– Albania closes its airspace for Russian airlines
– Albania sends 1st troops to NATO-led mission in Kosovo
– Kosovo asks U.S. for permanent military base, speedier NATO membership
– Kosovo Fears Russia ‘Opening Second Front’ in Balkans
– Kosovo Joins Western Sanctions on Russia
Albania refuses to play Russia in UEFA Nations League games
Albania’s government joined the wave of European opposition on Sunday to playing any sports games against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
The move was notable as Albania is among the few national teams in men’s soccer with games scheduled soon against Russia in official competitions.
Albania is due to host Russia in Tirana on June 2 in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League competition. The return game is on June 13 though UEFA ruled Friday that Russian teams must find neutral venues for its home games.
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/albania-refuses-to-play-russia-in-uefa-nations-league-games
Albania closes its airspace for Russian airlines
Albania will close its airspace for all Russian aircraft except for humanitarian and emergency flights on Sunday night in line with European Union recommendations, Albania’s Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka said in a video address.
Albania sends 1st troops to NATO-led mission in Kosovo
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania said on Friday it is sending a military contingent as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in neighboring Kosovo.
A Defense Ministry statement said that a contingent of 30 commandos of Albania’s armed forces would join Italian and Croatian KFOR troops in the city of Peja, 85 kilometers (53 miles) west of the capital, Pristina.
Albania joined NATO in 2009 and has taken part in many missions around the world. The KFOR mission in Kosovo involves some 4,000 troops from 28 countries
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https://wtop.com/europe/2022/02/albania-sends-1st-troops-to-nato-led-mission-in-kosovo/
Kosovo asks U.S. for permanent military base, speedier NATO membership
PRISTINA, Feb 27 (Reuters) – Kosovo has asked the United States to establish a permanent military base in the country and speed up its integration into NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kosovo’s Defence Minister Armend Mehaj said on Sunday.
The United States has already 635 soldiers in the Balkan country to maintain the fragile peace as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission. read more
“Accelerating Kosovo’s membership in NATO and having a permanent base of American forces is an immediate need to guarantee peace, security and stability in the Western Balkans,” Mehaj said on his Facebook page.
Kosovo Fears Russia ‘Opening Second Front’ in Balkans
As Russia’s military enter eastern Ukraine, raising fears of all-out war, media in Serbia have reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will send a top envoy to Belgrade this week for talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
There has been no official confirmation of the imminent arrival of Russian intelligence chief Nikolai Patrushev, reported AP.
But such a visit would be used by Russia to put pressure on its ally, Serbia, political analyst Agon Maliqi said.
“It can only be a sign of pressure on Belgrade and an attempt to expand the [Russian] front against Western interests in the Balkans,” he told Prishtina Insight.
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https://prishtinainsight.com/kosovo-fears-russia-opening-second-front-in-balkans/
Kosovo Joins Western Sanctions on Russia
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kosovo has joined sanctions on entities that undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and the independence of Ukraine, consisting of freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals or entities, a travel ban for sanctioned individuals and a ban on individuals and entities making funds available, either directly or indirectly, to sanctioned individuals and entities.
The names of those sanctioned individuals and entities are listed in the annexes to the Council of the European Union. According to the Kosovo Government, sanctions will be in effect until further notice and may be updated.
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https://prishtinainsight.com/kosovo-joins-western-sanctions-on-russia/