US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is turning his attention to Ukraine, NATO and the Western Balkans after weeks of heightened attention on Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
Blinken has spent much of the past month heavily involved in the Gaza crisis, making two trips to the Middle East.
Now that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been extended for two more days, the top diplomat has left for Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, the Albanian Post reported.
In Brussels, the alliance will reaffirm its support for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, consider ways to reduce tensions between Kosovo and Serbia and consider preparations for NATO's 75th anniversary next year.
The two-day session on October 28 and 29 will include the first foreign minister-level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, a body created by alliance leaders at their recent summit to improve cooperation and coordination and help prepare Kyiv for eventual membership .
"Allies will continue to support Kiev's defense capabilities until Moscow stops its war of aggression," said Jim O'Brien, the top US diplomat for Europe.
O'Brien said Blinken could travel to Skopje, North Macedonia, after Brussels for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he plans to attend the OSCE meeting, which is likely to set the stage for a confrontation between the US and Russia over Ukraine.
The NATO meeting in Brussels will also address the situation in the Western Balkans, where there are calls for NATO to increase its military presence in response to fears that hostilities between Belgrade and Pristina could escalate into open conflict.
The conflict between the two countries has flared twice in recent months and Western countries fear that Russia may try to stir up trouble in the Balkans to divert attention from the war in Ukraine.
Last week, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama called on NATO to further increase its military presence in Kosovo and secure the country's borders with Serbia, warning that the latest violence could spark a wider Balkan conflict. .
NATO has already boosted its military presence in Kosovo with around 1,000 more troops and heavier weapons, bringing the number of troops in the Balkan country to around 4,500.
The US secretary of state will emphasize Washington and NATO's support for democracy and stability in the region, including a commitment to support all countries' aspirations to join the EU, O'Brien said.
In addition to Ukraine and the Western Balkans, ministers will also discuss plans for the alliance's 75th anniversary summit to be held in Washington in July 2024. At it, the allies will mark the founding of NATO and highlight what leaders call the most - the most successful military alliance in history./BGNES
