After Operation Desert Storm ended with the expulsion of Iraqi forces from Kuwait in February 1991, it seemed that “international coalition” - built around the nucleus of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom - had successfully stood in the way of the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s ambitions, swiftly and decisively defeating his army.
This episode encouraged Saudi Arabia to further promote international security and stability through the United Nations or the Security Council. Its first effort sought to put an end to Serbian forces’ campaign of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following the vicious war that began when Serbian forces laid siege to Sarajevo in April 1992.
Riyadh reached out to the American administration at the time, urging it to take concrete steps to end the massacres against unarmed civilians. At the time, however, the late President George H. W. Bush had been confronting domestic challenges that hindered him from taking practical, let alone military, actions. Nevertheless, he said that he was fully prepared to provide political and legal support through international institutions.
Bush Sr. lost the election to Bill Clinton 1992, who was inaugurated in January of the following year. Saudi Arabia resumed its diplomatic engagement and discussed how best to end the Serbian forces’ atrocities with the new president. They agreed to work bring in the United Kingdom, with Saudi Arabia playing a pivotal role in ensuring political support and mobilizing international public opinion, as well as facilitating NATO’s mission and allowing the latter to overcome several obstacles. Many of these challenges were linked to the heavy historic legacy of the two World Wars, with Britain expressing reservations about the scope and limits of Germany’s role in the campaign.
Riyadh supplemented its successful diplomatic efforts with humanitarian relief. The late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz established the Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who was Governor of Riyadh at the time. The Commission’s mission was to collect donations, oversee the provision of aid, food, medicine, clothing, and shelter, and to facilitate the transfer of wounded victims to Saudi hospitals for treatment at the Kingdom’s expense.
Riyadh then moved to support reconstruction efforts, playing a key role in rebuilding damaged infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and places of worship. It helped to revive the state institutions that had been devastated by this cruel war.
Saudi Arabia continued to seek peace and coexistence among different ethnic and religious groups in the heart of Europe. After its engagements in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was once again spurred to action when the Kosovo War broke out in February 1998. The Račak Massacre of 1999 continues to haunt the global conscience. The world was outraged as Serbian forces killed dozens of Albanian civilians. When the Serbs continued their ethnic cleansing campaign, NATO forces launched a 78-day air campaign that ended with the Kumanovo Agreement, signed on June 11, 1999, with the Serbian forces withdrawing from Kosovo.
This historical background is crucial for understanding Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani’s visit to Saudi Arabia, where she met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and attended the Future Investment Initiative. Her visit culminated in a trilateral meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, with Syria announcing its recognition of the Republic of Kosovo.
The President of Kosovo said that Syria’s recognition was “of historic significance” for relations between the two states, “based on mutual respect for the long struggle for freedom, mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and commitment to bilateral cooperation and establishment of diplomatic relations.” She also said that Kosovo is “deeply appreciative and grateful for the support of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. His leadership and guidance have made the results of our trilateral meeting a historic one for both the people of Kosovo and the people of Syria.”
The trilateral meeting in Riyadh culminated years of “quiet diplomatic engineering.” Saudi Arabia has moved beyond being humanitarian assistance to friendly nations, becoming a proactive and diplomatic actor that looks to the future and has the capacity to make breakthroughs on issues that had been frozen for years. The previous Syrian regime had refused to recognize Kosovo’s independence due to Damascus’s close relationship with Moscow, which supports the Serbian position.
For its part, Syria has said the official recognition of the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state is “based on its belief in the right of peoples to self-determination and its commitment to promoting peace and stability in the Balkans and the world.”
The timing and location of this announcement, however, suggest that the decision was made within the framework of the country’s effort to reposition itself after a decade of Arab and international isolation. Having once supported Belgrade because of Moscow’s opposition to the independence of Kosovo, Syria has now shifted toward a more flexible and pragmatic approach. Indeed, the country needs new partners, and its leadership understands that rigid alignments are no longer tenable as the international order is being reshaped. Syria is sending messages of peace, especially toward Europeans, signaling its intent to strengthen ties with all European states and to address their reservations to engage with Damascus.
Kosovo, in turn, understands that Saudi Arabia’s initiatives and policies elevate its own international standing. President Vjosa Osmani said as much in an interview with Al Arabiya, emphasizing “crucial opportunities to enhance economic cooperation and attract investment.” She explained that Kosovo’s economic strategy is to ensure sustainable development and build a diversified economy through innovation and international partnerships, noting that Saudi Arabia is “a key partner in supporting development and peace in the region and the world.”
This is precisely what Riyadh wants: for partnership to be a gateway to building stronger, more enduring accords that can contain conflicts and address chronic crises.
