(MENAFN- Swissinfo) During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo. The security situation in the country is still too unstable to cease the deployment of the Swiss soldiers, he said following his visit. This content was published on July 12, 2025 - 10:59 3 minutes RTS

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The first stop on his two-day working visit was to Swisscoy troops in Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo. Swiss soldiers are stationed there for an operation to promote peace between the Serbian and Albanian communities.“I am fascinated by the scale of the commitment; it is an important contribution to the region,” said Pfister.

The Swisscoy peacekeeping contingent currently numbers up to 215 soldiers. It has been operational for over 25 years and is part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). The Swiss provide surveillance, logistics, transport, and engineering services, among other things.

Promotion of peace

The aim of last week's visit by the new defence minister, who has been in office for 100 days, was to learn about the security situation and Switzerland's role in its commitments to promoting peace.

Switzerland's involvement in the western Balkans is an essential component of international cooperation in Europe, the defence ministry said.

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This content was published on Nov 29, 2023 The Swisscoy mission has been present in Kosovo since 1999. It is a key to understanding the Swiss neutrality debates.

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