Kosovo and Albania are discussing deepening cooperation in the defense industry sector, including co-production and joint procurement, said the defense ministers of both countries.

Following the meeting in Pristina between Albania's Defense Minister Ermal Nufi and his Kosovar counterpart Ejup Maqedonci, the defense leaders highly valued cooperation in the defense industry.

Maqedonci was asked to specify what this cooperation entails. He said the two states have already taken steps in developing the defense industry.

"We have signed a contract for a munitions factory," he said, referring to the agreement reached in December 2024 with the Turkish state-owned manufacturer MKE.

The Kosovo government previously stated that the factory will be built in Jahoc, Gjakova, with the first production expected by the end of 2026.

Maqedonci said Kosovo is also coordinating with other partners on co-production matters.

"We are discussing cooperation with Albania in the industrial field, looking at two directions. One is co-production, meaning we are exploring opportunities in which areas we can jointly produce, and this will be done in the upcoming period when we form groups and teams to identify what we can co-produce. But also in joint procurement of systems that make us interoperable. We have included this in the declaration with Albania and Croatia, with co-production as a key point, as well as joint procurement among the three countries to enable interoperability and quality equipment," said Maqedonci.

On the other hand, Minister Nufi said discussions on cooperation in the defense industry are essential.

"Cooperation in this field is essential for our capacities and ensuring the security of both countries. I believe this discussion will continue further with all production facilities being built in Kosovo and Albania, as a symbol not only of technological and industrial development but also of fraternal cooperation," he said.

While Kosovo aims to produce munitions, Albania, in early April, took its first steps toward producing combat drones, as well as building and repairing military and civilian watercraft, authorizing agreements with defense companies.

Cooperation in the security and defense fields between Kosovo and Albania is also foreseen in the declaration signed last year by Pristina, Tirana, and Zagreb.

Serbia has viewed this cooperation as a military alliance against itself and Serbs, but this claim has been consistently denied by Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia.

Nufi was also asked whether he raised concerns in NATO about Serbia arming itself with Chinese weapons. However, he said regarding this issue, "the Republic of Serbia decides for itself on the matter of armament or how it considers its security issues, as per its military doctrines in relation to security."

Two days ago, Serbian President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡ said Serbia will purchase new weapons, claiming it is facing pressure from neighboring countries.

"The security situation is somewhat more complicated than in January when we addressed it, mainly due to the actions and further activities of the military alliance of Pristina, Tirana, and Zagreb," Vuฤiฤ‡ said early Wednesday.

This is not the first time Vuฤiฤ‡ has made this claim, but he has never provided evidence to support it.