The United States has indefinitely suspended its planned strategic dialogue with Kosovo, citing concerns over caretaker government actions that have heightened tensions and instability, limiting prospects for productive cooperation, the embassy said on September 12.

The suspension comes amid a prolonged political crisis in Kosovo. Following the February 9 general elections, parliament failed for months to elect a speaker, eventually appointing Dimal Basha at the end of August.

There are also known to be tensions between Kosovo’s leftwing nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the rightwing Trump administration in the US. 

Kurti has accused Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell of working to bring down his previous government back in 2020 to bring in a more amenable partner in Pristina, and he reiterated at this year’s Munich Security Conference that Grenell is “very openly against” him. For his part, Grenell strongly criticised Kurti ahead of the Kosovo’s February general election, saying the Vetevendosje leader is “not trustworthy”. 

In a statement on its website on September 12, the US embassy in Pristina said that Washington remains committed to advancing shared interests with the people of Kosovo, underlining that the relationship is built on the common goal of strengthening peace and stability as a foundation for economic prosperity.

“Unfortunately, recent actions and statements by caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti have posed challenges to progress made over many years,” the embassy said, adding that the dialogue had been designed to deepen economic and diplomatic ties for the benefit of both Americans and Kosovans.

“We hope to pursue such efforts in the future when appropriate.”

Vetevendosje is the largest party in parliament after the February general election, but does not have enough MPs to form a government alone. 

Meanwhile, the assembly has been unable to complete its leadership structure due to disputes over the election of the fifth deputy speaker from the Serbian community.

On September 10, ruling Vetevendosje called on the Constitutional Court to reject a complaint by the Serbian List, the main party representing Kosovo Serbs, regarding the contested election of deputy speakers.

The dispute has further deepened the stalemate, delaying the full constitution of parliament and the formation of a new government.