The United States is suspending Kosovo’s participation in military exercises as a first sanction against the country following its decision to appoint ethnic Albanian mayors in several municipalities.
The US ambassador in Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, says that Kosovo is excluded from the Defender 23 exercise in which some 20 countries participate and which continues until June.
The security situation in northern Kosovo is described as the worst in over ten years. For several days, there have been violent clashes between protesters and the police.