Relationship dossier
Turkey
Kosovo
Relationship assessment
Close Turkish support for Kosovo’s independence and security, alongside economic cooperation and occasional political friction.
Turkey toward Kosovo
+65Turkey recognized Kosovo’s independence in 2008 and has supported its international standing. Turkey also contributes forces to the NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo and has pursued bilateral economic and security cooperation.
Kosovo toward Turkey
+40Kosovo has cooperated with Turkey on security matters. In 2018, Kosovo authorities deported six Turkish nationals at Turkey’s request; the operation drew strong domestic criticism and led to the dismissal of senior officials.
Overall relationship
+55The relationship is structured by Turkey’s sustained support for Kosovo’s independence and security, alongside bilateral economic and security cooperation. The 2018 deportations demonstrated that cooperation can generate serious political controversy within Kosovo, but did not displace the broader partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Turkey has been a strong supporter of Kosovo’s independence and maintains security, economic and diplomatic cooperation with it, including participation in the NATO-led KFOR mission. Kosovo has also cooperated with Turkey, including through a 2018 operation in which six Turkish nationals were deported at Turkey’s request. That episode prompted a political backlash in Kosovo, illustrating tensions within an otherwise close relationship.
Areas of tension
- The 2018 deportation of six Turkish nationals at Turkey’s request prompted political controversy in Kosovo and scrutiny of the operation.
Key developments
Turkey recognized Kosovo’s independence.
Kosovo authorities deported six Turkish nationals at Turkey’s request, provoking political controversy and the dismissal of senior officials.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral economic and security agreements are unclear.
- The extent of Kosovo’s current cooperation with Turkey on security matters is uncertain.