German parliament approves extension of Bundeswehr mission in Kosovo

Germany’s parliament on Thursday approved a one-year extension of the Bundeswehr’s deployment in Kosovo under the long-running NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.

KFOR’s mandate includes supporting the establishment of a stable, civilian-led peace and maintaining public order in Kosovo, where tensions with neighbouring Serbia remain a recurring challenge.

The Bundeswehr's mission in Kosovo is its longest-running foreign deployment, now spanning nearly three decades. The personnel limit remains unchanged at 400 German soldiers.

The extension was approved by the Bundestag by a large majority.

This decision follows Wednesday's parliamentary vote to extend the Bundeswehr's deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina for another year.

The Bundeswehr monitors compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War in 1995. It will continue to support this with up to 50 troops.

During the parliamentary debate, the Bundestag heard that despite years of international assistance, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains "on shaky ground."