PM Rama urges Trump to act on The Hague court and Kosovo leaders.
Tirana Times, February 20 2026 – Albania has confirmed it will contribute troops and police personnel to the international stabilization mission in Gaza under the newly created Peace Board, an initiative announced by U.S. President Donald Trump at the Board’s inaugural meeting. Albania joins Kosovo and Kazakhstan as the only countries publicly committed to deploying forces, with Albania and Kosovo standing out as the only two states from the Western Balkans invited to become part of the initiative.
The limited regional and European participation has been one of the most striking aspects of the Peace Board’s launch. Albania and Kosovo were the only countries from the Western Balkans invited to join, while the vast majority of European Union member states declined to become members of the Board. Several EU governments reportedly expressed reservations over the political framework, legal basis, and geopolitical implications of the initiative. Only two EU member states agreed to participate at a reduced level, taking part as observers rather than full members, underscoring Europe’s cautious and divided approach toward the U.S.-led initiative.
International media attention has further highlighted the controversial nature of the Peace Board. The British newspaper The Guardian reported critically on the composition of the gathering, noting that a number of leaders attending the inaugural meeting were portrayed as authoritarian or controversial figures in their respective countries. In its coverage, The Guardian included Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama among a group of leaders whose democratic records have been questioned, citing concerns raised by international watchdogs over governance, corruption, and rule of law. This framing added an additional layer of scrutiny to Albania’s participation, even as Tirana presented its role as constructive and peace oriented.
At the opening session, Prime Minister Edi Rama underlined the political weight of Albania’s decision, stressing the rare domestic consensus behind it. “The fully harmonized bipartisan vote of our parliament in support of this initiative speaks for itself about how honored Albania feels to be one of the founding members of this new organization,” Rama said, pointing to the fact that both government and opposition backed membership despite deep political polarization and ongoing confrontation at home.
Rama rejected claims that the Peace Board was meant to replace the United Nations. “Many say that the Peace Board aims to replace the UN, but it does not seem to me an attempt to replace it. If it helps to shake that giant in agony and, God willing, wake it up, then God bless the Peace Board,” he said.
Praising Trump’s role in ending the fighting in Gaza, Rama confirmed Albania’s operational commitment. “We commend your decisive role in stopping the heartbreaking conflict in Gaza, and Albania has confirmed its participation in the stabilization force with its troops,” he stated. He also called for a parallel humanitarian effort, proposing that all participating countries contribute to the construction of a public facility for Palestinian children. According to Rama, such a project would allow the world “to transform a wound of history into an oasis of hope, where compassion takes concrete form and the future takes shape around those who deserve it most, the next generation of Palestinians.” Albania, he added, “would be privileged to be part of this chain.”
While Gaza was the immediate focus, Rama deliberately broadened the discussion to include Kosovo. He recalled that during Trump’s first term, U.S. leadership brought Kosovo and Serbia “closer than ever to a final peace agreement.” He then turned to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, where former Kosovar leaders are on trial. “Today, the President of Kosovo has spent six years in detention by a special court in The Hague, sponsored by a number of democratic states, some of them present here, and they should be ashamed of that kind of international justice,” Rama said.
Referring to the latest prosecutorial request, he added, “Only last week, another prosecutor financed by this great country and its taxpayers asked for 45 years in prison, a request that caused a shocking wave of humiliation across an entire peace loving nation.” Rama warned that the court’s actions risk undermining stability and justice, arguing that it has failed “at every step to adhere to the standards of democratic justice.”
In a direct appeal to the U.S. president, Rama concluded, “For God’s sake, Mr President, let us do something before, as you say, very bad things might happen again.” He ended by thanking Trump for including Albania in what he called a “noble initiative,” expressing hope that Albania’s close relations with both Israel and Arab countries would make it “an added value to your extraordinary vision.”
Albania’s decision therefore combines security engagement in Gaza with a broader political message. By aligning closely with Washington at a time when most EU member states have chosen distance or caution, Tirana has opted for visibility and strategic positioning, using the Peace Board as a platform to project humanitarian commitments alongside unresolved regional concerns, particularly those related to Kosovo.
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