Impact of “America First” on US-Kosovo Relations

By David L. Phillips
Thursday, February 9, 2017

David L. Phillips writes in the Huffington Post that the special relationship between Kosovo and the United States is threatened by a resurgent Russia and President Trump's "American First" policy. Despite assurances by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Phillips warns that in an “America First” world, Kosovo cannot only ask what the United States can do for Kosovo, but must also consider what Kosovo can do for the United States.

Phillips argues that to remain relevant, Kosovo must demonstrate its value to the Trump administration, particularly its value as a partner in the prevention violent extremism (PVE) and combatting terrorism.

David L. Phillips is Director of the Program on Peace-Building and Human Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights. He served as a Senior Adviser and Foreign Affairs Export to the State Department during the administrations of Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama. He has written many books including “Liberating Kosovo: Coercive Diplomacy and US Intervention.”

Click here to read the full article at Huffington Post.