As of 1 October 2026, Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora lists 121 recognitions of its independence, 119 of them by UN member states (about 62% of the 193 UN members); the most recent were Kenya, Sudan and Syria in 2025 and the Bahamas on 19 December 2025, and no new recognition has been added in 2026 (Kosovo MFA list). Counts differ: trackers such as Wikipedia leave out nine states whose withdrawal they treat as effective and arrive at 110, while Serbia’s president said in January 2023 that only 84 states “unequivocally” recognize Kosovo (Balkan Insight). Argentina does not recognize Kosovo, and neither do Serbia, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Mexico or five EU members (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain); the United States, the United Kingdom and 22 of the 27 EU members, including France and Germany, do. Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008.
TLDR
- 119 UN member states are on Kosovo’s official recognition list (checked 1 October 2026); about 110 by Wikipedia’s count; 84 by Serbia’s January 2023 claim
- 22 of 27 EU member states recognize Kosovo; 5 do not (Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Spain)
- 28 of 32 NATO member states recognize Kosovo
- Serbia, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico are among the states that do not recognize Kosovo
- The ICJ ruled in 2010 that Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law
- Kosovo is not a UN member: admission needs a Security Council recommendation, and two veto-holding Council members, Russia and China, do not recognize it
- Kosovo has been a member of the IMF and the World Bank since 2009, and its citizens have had visa-free short-stay travel to the EU since January 2024
Does Argentina Recognize Kosovo?
No. As of 1 October 2026 Argentina has not recognized Kosovo, and it is not on the Kosovo foreign ministry’s list of recognitions (Kosovo MFA list). Argentina’s foreign ministry states that it does not recognize Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, that it supports the full validity of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (which Argentina voted for as a Council member in 1999) and that any settlement must be negotiated and accepted by both parties, with respect for Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (Argentine foreign ministry).
Argentine officials also connect the issue to the Falklands (Malvinas) dispute with the United Kingdom. On 27 April 2023 Argentina’s protest over Kosovo Security Force personnel joining the British infantry company in the islands was raised at the UN Security Council by the delegations of Serbia, Brazil and Ecuador; elDiarioAR noted in its report that Argentina does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state (elDiarioAR).
Two recent events prompted the “did Argentina recognize Kosovo?” question without changing the policy. In September 2025 President Javier Milei was photographed greeting Kosovo’s president at a reception during the UN General Assembly in New York; Argentine press reported the photo while noting that the official position of non-recognition, in place since 2008, had not changed (El Cronista, Perfil). In January 2026 both Argentina and Kosovo were among the countries joining the Board of Peace that US President Donald Trump launched in Davos (Al Jazeera). Sitting on the same international body is not a recognition, and Argentina has announced none.
Quick answers: does this country recognize Kosovo?
| Country | Recognizes Kosovo? | Date or stated position | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | No | Supports UNSC Resolution 1244 and Serbia’s territorial integrity | Argentine foreign ministry |
| Brazil | No | In 2008 said a solution should come through dialogue under the UN and Resolution 1244 | NEIBA study (UERJ, 2018) |
| China | No | “Respects Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” (2024) | Chinese foreign ministry |
| France | Yes | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Germany | Yes | 20 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Greece | No | One of five EU members that do not recognize Kosovo | Kosovo MFA list, Security Council Report |
| India | No | “No change” in its position (November 2022) | The Tribune |
| Mexico | No | Not on Kosovo’s list; Serbia’s foreign minister said in April 2008 that Mexico opposed recognition | Kosovo MFA list, Government of Serbia (2008) |
| Romania | No | One of five EU members that do not recognize Kosovo | Kosovo MFA list, CYELP (2023) |
| Russia | No | Supports Serbia’s position | Security Council Report |
| Spain | No | Said in 2008 the declaration did not respect international law | Al Jazeera (2008) |
| Turkey | Yes | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| United Kingdom | Yes | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| United States | Yes | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
How Many Countries Recognize Kosovo?
As of 1 October 2026, 119 UN member states appear on Kosovo’s official recognition list, 110 by Wikipedia’s count, which treats nine as withdrawn, and 84 by the Serbian president’s January 2023 count (Balkan Insight). By Kosovo’s count that is about 62% of the 193 UN member states. Most recognitions came in 2008 and the years just after. Kenya recognized Kosovo on 26 March 2025, which Reuters described as the first new recognition after “nearly five years”, the previous one being Israel in September 2020 (Reuters). Sudan followed in April 2025, Syria in October 2025 and the Bahamas in December 2025; the Kosovo MFA list shows no recognition dated 2026 (Kosovo MFA list).
The counts differ because Serbia says a number of states have withdrawn recognition, while Kosovo says recognition cannot be withdrawn and keeps them on its list; some of the governments concerned have also given conflicting signals (see the withdrawals table below). By Kosovo’s count and by independent trackers’ counts, more than half of UN members recognize Kosovo; Serbia’s count would put the figure below half.
Major Countries That Recognize Kosovo
Recognizers include:
- United States: Recognized on February 18, 2008, one day after independence
- United Kingdom: Recognized on February 18, 2008
- France: Recognized on February 18, 2008
- Germany: Recognized on February 20, 2008
- Italy: Recognized on February 21, 2008
- Japan: Recognized on March 18, 2008
- Australia: Recognized on February 19, 2008
- Canada: Recognized on March 18, 2008
- Turkey: Recognized on February 18, 2008
- Albania: Recognized on February 18, 2008 (among the first)
- Most EU member states: 22 of 27 EU nations recognize Kosovo
- Most NATO member states: 28 of 32 NATO nations recognize Kosovo
Full List of Countries That Recognize Kosovo
The table below lists every UN member state on the Government of Kosovo’s official recognition list, as published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, checked on 1 October 2026. The list has 121 entries; two of them, the Cook Islands and Niue, are not UN members and are left out here, which gives 119 UN member states. Dates are the ones given in the Kosovo MFA list. Where the recognizing government’s own announcement is available online, it is linked as the source; otherwise the source is the Kosovo MFA list itself. Countries marked with an asterisk (*) are ones that Serbia says have since withdrawn recognition; Kosovo disputes this and keeps them on its list. They are covered in the second table.
| Country | Region | Date recognized | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Asia | 18 February 2008 | Afghanistan MFA (archived) |
| Albania | Europe | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Andorra | Europe | 8 June 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Antigua and Barbuda * | Central America and Caribbean | 19 May 2015 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Australia | Oceania | 19 February 2008 | Australian Foreign Minister (archived) |
| Austria | Europe | 28 February 2008 | Austrian Foreign Ministry (archived) |
| Bahamas | Central America and Caribbean | 19 December 2025 | Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas |
| Bahrain | Middle East | 19 May 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Bangladesh | Asia | 27 February 2017 | Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo (archived) |
| Barbados | Central America and Caribbean | 15 February 2018 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Belgium | Europe | 24 February 2008 | Belgian Official Journal (etaamb) |
| Belize | Central America and Caribbean | 7 August 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Benin | Africa | 18 August 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Brunei | Asia | 25 April 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Bulgaria | Europe | 20 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Burkina Faso * | Africa | 23 April 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Burundi * | Africa | 16 October 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Canada | North America | 18 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Central African Republic * | Africa | 22 July 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Chad | Africa | 1 June 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Colombia | South America | 4 August 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Comoros * | Africa | 14 May 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Costa Rica | Central America and Caribbean | 17 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Croatia | Europe | 19 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Czech Republic | Europe | 21 May 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Denmark | Europe | 21 February 2008 | Danish MFA (archived) |
| Djibouti | Africa | 8 May 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Dominica * | Central America and Caribbean | 11 December 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Dominican Republic | Central America and Caribbean | 10 July 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Egypt | Africa | 26 June 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| El Salvador | Central America and Caribbean | 29 June 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Estonia | Europe | 21 February 2008 | Estonian MFA (archived) |
| Eswatini * | Africa | 12 April 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Fiji | Oceania | 19 November 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Finland | Europe | 7 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| France | Europe | 18 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Gabon * | Africa | 15 September 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Gambia | Africa | 7 April 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Germany | Europe | 20 February 2008 | German Federal Government (archived) |
| Ghana * | Africa | 23 January 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Grenada * | Central America and Caribbean | 25 September 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Guinea * | Africa | 12 August 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Guinea-Bissau * | Africa | 10 January 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Guyana | South America | 16 March 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Haiti | Central America and Caribbean | 10 February 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Honduras | Central America and Caribbean | 3 September 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Hungary | Europe | 19 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Iceland | Europe | 5 March 2008 | Icelandic MFA (archived) |
| Ireland | Europe | 29 February 2008 | Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (archived) |
| Israel | Middle East | 1 February 2021 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Italy | Europe | 21 February 2008 | Italian Council of Ministers (archived) |
| Ivory Coast | Africa | 16 September 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Japan | Asia | 18 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Jordan | Middle East | 17 July 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Kenya | Africa | 26 March 2025 | Reuters (via US News) |
| Kiribati | Oceania | 29 October 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Kuwait | Middle East | 11 October 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Latvia | Europe | 20 February 2008 | Latvian MFA (archived) |
| Lesotho * | Africa | 11 February 2014 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Liberia * | Africa | 30 May 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Libya * | Africa | 25 September 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Liechtenstein | Europe | 25 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Lithuania | Europe | 6 May 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Luxembourg | Europe | 21 February 2008 | Luxembourg Government (archived) |
| Madagascar * | Africa | 24 November 2017 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Malawi | Africa | 14 December 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Malaysia | Asia | 30 October 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Maldives * | Asia | 19 February 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Malta | Europe | 22 August 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Marshall Islands | Oceania | 17 April 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Mauritania | Africa | 14 September 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Micronesia (Federated States) | Oceania | 5 December 2008 | Government of the FSM |
| Monaco | Europe | 19 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Montenegro | Europe | 9 October 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Nauru * | Oceania | 23 April 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Netherlands | Europe | 4 March 2008 | Government of the Netherlands (archived) |
| New Zealand | Oceania | 9 November 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Niger | Africa | 15 August 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| North Macedonia | Europe | 9 October 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Norway | Europe | 28 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Oman | Middle East | 4 February 2011 | Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo |
| Pakistan | Asia | 25 December 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Palau * | Oceania | 6 March 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Panama | Central America and Caribbean | 16 January 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Papua New Guinea * | Oceania | 3 October 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Peru | South America | 22 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Poland | Europe | 26 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Portugal | Europe | 7 October 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Qatar | Middle East | 7 January 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Central America and Caribbean | 28 October 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Saint Lucia * | Central America and Caribbean | 19 August 2011 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Samoa | Oceania | 15 September 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| San Marino | Europe | 12 May 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Sao Tome and Principe * | Africa | 13 March 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | 20 April 2009 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Senegal | Africa | 19 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Sierra Leone * | Africa | 11 June 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Singapore | Asia | 1 December 2016 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Slovenia | Europe | 5 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Solomon Islands * | Oceania | 5 August 2014 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Somalia * | Africa | 19 May 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| South Korea | Asia | 28 March 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Sudan | Africa | 13 April 2025 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Suriname * | South America | 8 July 2016 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Sweden | Europe | 4 March 2008 | Swedish Government (archived) |
| Switzerland | Europe | 27 February 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Syria | Middle East | 29 October 2025 | SANA (Syrian state news agency) |
| Tanzania | Africa | 29 May 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Thailand | Asia | 24 September 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Timor-Leste | Asia | 20 September 2012 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Togo * | Africa | 2 July 2014 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Tonga | Oceania | 15 May 2014 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Turkey | Europe and Asia | 18 February 2008 | Turkish MFA (archived) |
| Tuvalu | Oceania | 18 November 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | 14 October 2008 | Kosovo MFA list |
| United Kingdom | Europe | 18 February 2008 | UK Prime Minister’s Office (archived) |
| United States | North America | 18 February 2008 | US State Department |
| Vanuatu | Oceania | 28 April 2010 | Kosovo MFA list |
| Yemen | Middle East | 11 June 2013 | Kosovo MFA list |
How many countries recognize Kosovo? It depends who is counting
Counting only UN member states, the counts in use as of 1 October 2026 are:
- 119 according to the Government of Kosovo. The MFA list has 121 entries including the Cook Islands and Niue, and Kosovo described the Bahamas as the 121st recognition in December 2025. No new recognition has been announced in 2026 so far.
- 110 according to independent trackers such as Wikipedia, which excludes nine states whose withdrawal it treats as effective: Burundi, the Central African Republic, Dominica, Madagascar, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, the Solomon Islands and Togo.
- About 80 to 84 according to Serbia: the website of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija says 108 states recognized Kosovo and 28 later withdrew, which leaves 80 (as reported by Vreme, December 2025), and President Vučić put the figure at 84 in January 2023 (Balkan Insight).
The five EU member states that do not recognize Kosovo are Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. The other 22 EU members are all in the table above.
Recognitions Serbia says were withdrawn
Between 2017 and 2020 Serbia ran a campaign to persuade states to revoke recognition, and in January 2023 it named nine more. Kosovo’s foreign ministry has said repeatedly that it received no notification of any withdrawal and that recognition, once given, cannot be undone under international law. The table gives the date of each Serbian claim and what Kosovo has said or done since. Of the states in the table, Ghana (foreign ministry statement, November 2019) and Togo (government statement, January 2023) have themselves publicly announced a withdrawal; Kosovo disputes Ghana’s.
| Country | Recognized (Kosovo MFA list) | Withdrawal claimed | Kosovo’s position | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | 19 May 2015 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Balkan Insight |
| Burkina Faso | 23 April 2008 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification. Wikipedia reports the withdrawal was confirmed in December 2023; this could not be verified from a primary source. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Balkan Insight |
| Burundi | 16 October 2012 | 15 February 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Central African Republic | 22 July 2011 | 24 July 2019 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Comoros | 14 May 2009 | 1 November 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. In February 2021 Kosovo published a letter from the Comorian foreign minister that it says confirms recognition remains intact. | Government of Serbia |
| Dominica | 11 December 2012 | 2 November 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Eswatini | 12 April 2010 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification; Kosovo’s ambassador met Eswatini’s high commissioner on 12 January 2023. | Balkan Insight |
| Gabon | 15 September 2011 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification; Kosovo’s ambassador met his Gabonese counterpart on 11 January 2023. | Balkan Insight |
| Ghana | 23 January 2012 | 7 November 2019 (Ghana MFA statement 11 November 2019) | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo reports that in April 2025 Ghana’s president told a Kosovo envoy the withdrawal reports were untrue. | RFE/RL |
| Grenada | 25 September 2013 | 30 October 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo’s president met Grenada’s prime minister in September 2023. | Government of Serbia |
| Guinea | 12 August 2011 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Balkan Insight |
| Guinea-Bissau | 10 January 2011 | 21 November 2017 | Kosovo says the withdrawal note was annulled on 2 February 2018. Serbian media also report that Guinea-Bissau withdrew and then restored recognition. | Government of Serbia |
| Lesotho | 11 February 2014 | 16 October 2018 | Lesotho’s prime minister told Kosovo media days later that the withdrawal was “not valid”. Kosovo’s president met King Letsie III in December 2023. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Government of Serbia |
| Liberia | 30 May 2008 | June 2018 | Days after the Serbian announcement, Liberia’s foreign ministry said it “wished to refute reports” that it had revoked relations with Kosovo. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Government of Serbia |
| Libya | 25 September 2013 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification; Kosovo’s ambassador met his Libyan counterpart in Brussels on 11 January 2023. | Balkan Insight |
| Madagascar | 24 November 2017 | 5 December 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Maldives | 19 February 2009 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo’s mission said there was “no change in diplomatic relations”; the Maldives denied the claim in May 2023 and sent independence-day greetings to Kosovo in 2024 and 2025. | Balkan Insight |
| Nauru | 23 April 2008 | 13 November 2019 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Palau | 6 March 2009 | 18 January 2019 | Kosovo says relations were restored on 20 October 2023, when its non-resident ambassador was accredited in Palau. | Government of Serbia |
| Papua New Guinea | 3 October 2012 | 5 July 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo has not acknowledged a withdrawal. | Government of Serbia |
| Saint Lucia | 19 August 2011 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | Balkan Insight |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 13 March 2012 | Listed by Serbia by November 2018 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. In January 2013 the country’s president had said the 2012 recognition was invalid because he was not consulted. | Government of Serbia |
| Sierra Leone | 11 June 2008 | 2 March 2020 | Kosovo said it had “nothing to confirm”. Kosovo’s president held talks with Sierra Leone’s president in April 2025. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | RFE/RL |
| Solomon Islands | 5 August 2014 | 28 November 2018 | Kosovo’s foreign ministry said it had received no such document and called the claim Serbian propaganda. Still on the Kosovo MFA list. | B92 |
| Somalia | 19 May 2010 | 4 January 2023 (Vučić announcement) | Kosovo MFA said it received no notification; Kosovo and Somali ambassadors met on 10 January 2023 and the two foreign ministries met again in March 2023. | Balkan Insight |
| Suriname | 8 July 2016 | 27 October 2017 | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Kosovo’s foreign minister met her Surinamese counterpart in June 2022 to discuss cooperation. | Government of Serbia |
| Togo | 2 July 2014 | 28 June 2019 (announced 26 August 2019) | Still on the Kosovo MFA list. Togo’s government publicly confirmed the withdrawal on 16 January 2023; this is the clearest confirmed case. | Government of Serbia |
Notes on the dates
- Israel: the Kosovo MFA list gives 1 February 2021, the day the two countries formally established diplomatic relations. Israel’s ambassador to Serbia said Israel recognized Kosovo on 4 September 2020, the day of the Washington agreements.
- Sudan: Kosovo’s president announced the recognition on 12 April 2025 at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum; the MFA list records 13 April 2025.
- Kenya: recognized on 26 March 2025. Reuters called it the first new recognition after nearly five years; the previous one, Israel, is dated September 2020 by Reuters and 1 February 2021 on the Kosovo MFA list. Some sources give 2024 for Kenya; that is wrong.
- Other minor date differences between the Kosovo MFA list and the recognizing governments’ own announcements (for example Senegal 18 or 19 February 2008, Mauritania January or September 2010, El Salvador 2013 or 2014, Tonga January or May 2014) usually reflect the gap between a decision and the delivery of the formal note. The MFA date is used throughout.
Sources
- Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora: Lista e Njohjeve (official list of recognitions)
- US State Department: U.S. Recognizes Kosovo as Independent State (18 February 2008)
- RFE/RL: Serbia Claims Sierra Leone Is Latest Country To Rescind Kosovo Recognition (March 2020)
- RFE/RL: Ghana Withdraws ‘Premature’ Kosovo Recognition (November 2019)
- Balkan Insight: Kosovo Debunks Serbian Claims About Derecognitions (January 2023)
- Government of Serbia: Grenada ninth country that withdrew its decision to recognise Kosovo’s independence (2018)
- Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas: Joint Statement on Recognition (19 December 2025)
- Wikipedia: International recognition of Kosovo (used to locate rows and government announcements; count of 110 quoted for comparison)
- Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Embassy in Portugal): Posición argentina sobre Kosovo
- elDiarioAR: Argentina took its protest over Kosovar troops in the Malvinas to the UN Security Council (28 April 2023)
- El Cronista: photo of Milei with Kosovo’s president (29 September 2025)
- Perfil: Milei greets Kosovo’s president at the UN (29 September 2025)
- Al Jazeera: Trump launches Board of Peace at signing ceremony in Davos (22 January 2026)
- Reuters via Yahoo News: Kenya recognises Kosovo as independent state, first such move in five years (26 March 2025)
- Balkan Insight: Serbian President Claims Nine More Kosovo Recognition Withdrawals (5 January 2023)
- Security Council Report: Kosovo, October 2025 Monthly Forecast
- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s remarks on the situation in the Kosovo region (16 September 2024)
- The Tribune: Unrecognised Kosovo opens office in India (26 November 2022)
- NEIBA (UERJ): O Brasil e as questões do Kosovo e da Crimeia (2018)
- Government of Serbia: Mexico strongly opposes recognition of Kosovo independence (15 April 2008)
- Al Jazeera: Nations split over Kosovo’s status (18 February 2008)
- Novak, Can the EU Make Member States Recognise Kosovo? Croatian Yearbook of European Law and Policy (2023)
- International Court of Justice: Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 22 July 2010
- United Nations Charter, Chapter II (Membership)
- European Commission: Kosovo visa liberalisation signed for entry in early 2024 (21 April 2023)
- RFE/RL: Kosovo Submits EU Membership Application (December 2022)
- European Parliament Research Service: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue: The rocky road towards a comprehensive normalisation agreement (November 2025)
- EEAS: Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia (27 February 2023)
- Carnegie Endowment: Reviving Kosovo-Serbia Normalization Talks (11 June 2026)
- VOA: Kosovo a member of IMF, IBRD (July 2009)
- ABC News: IOC grants Kosovo full membership (10 December 2014)
- Balkan Insight: FIFA Admits Kosovo (14 May 2016)
- Olympedia: Kosovo at the Olympic Games
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Serbia entry requirements
Countries That Do NOT Recognize Kosovo
Between 74 UN member states (by Kosovo’s count of 119 recognitions) and 83 (by the Wikipedia count of 110) do not recognize Kosovo; Serbia counts more. The best-known non-recognizers and the reasons they give:
Serbia
Serbia regards Kosovo as part of its territory, citing UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999), which placed Kosovo under UN administration while reaffirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of what was then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Serbia campaigns against recognition and initiated the request that led the UN General Assembly, on 8 October 2008, to ask the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion; the Court found in 2010 that the declaration did not violate international law (ICJ summary). The EU-facilitated dialogue ties both countries’ EU paths to normalising relations. Article 4 of the 2023 Agreement on the path to normalisation says that “Serbia will not object to Kosovo’s membership in any international organisation”; the agreement contains no explicit recognition clause, although Serbia’s president has said that point implies recognition, which Serbia rejects (EEAS, European Parliament Research Service). Neither side formally signed it, and in June 2026 Carnegie Endowment authors wrote that “not a single article” had been fully implemented by either party (Carnegie).
Russia
Russia objected to the 2008 declaration and warned at the time that the secession would have repercussions for breakaway regions elsewhere (Al Jazeera, 2008). As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia does not recognize Kosovo and strongly supports Serbia’s position (Security Council Report, 2025). Because UN membership requires a Security Council recommendation (UN Charter, Article 4), Russia’s position is a structural obstacle to Kosovo joining the UN.
China
China’s stated position is that “on the Kosovo issue, China respects Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, and it calls on the parties to continue “practical and constructive dialogue” towards “a lasting solution” (Chinese foreign ministry, September 2024). Like Russia, China is a veto-holding permanent member of the Security Council that does not recognize Kosovo (Security Council Report). China opposed the declaration in 2008 (Al Jazeera) and had still not recognized Kosovo in November 2025 (European Parliament Research Service).
Five EU Member States: Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia
Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain are the five EU members that have not recognized Kosovo; none of them is on the Kosovo MFA list (Kosovo MFA list). In February 2008 Spain’s government said: “We’re not going to recognise it because we don’t consider that it respects international law,” and Slovakia said it did “not see a way” to recognize Kosovo, a position reported in connection with its own Hungarian minority (Al Jazeera, 2008). A 2023 legal study describes the five as not recognizing Kosovo because of their internal situations, with the EU leaving each member state free to decide its own relations with Kosovo (Croatian Yearbook of European Law and Policy). Their non-recognition is one reason Kosovo’s EU membership bid, submitted in December 2022, is expected to take years (RFE/RL).
Other Significant Non-Recognizers
India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Argentina and South Africa are not on the Kosovo MFA list of recognitions (Kosovo MFA list). India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in November 2022 that “our position on Kosovo is well known, and there is no change in it” (The Tribune). Brazil said in 2008 that a solution should be sought through dialogue under the UN and Resolution 1244, and Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said in March 2008 that recognition would set a dangerous precedent for other secessions (NEIBA study, UERJ). Argentina’s position is covered in its own section above; Mexico’s opposition was reported by Serbia’s government in 2008 (Government of Serbia).
Why Recognition Matters
Kosovo’s partial recognition affects:
- UN membership: Kosovo is not a UN member; admission needs a Security Council recommendation and a General Assembly decision (UN Charter, Article 4)
- Travel: since January 2024 Kosovo citizens can travel to the EU without a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period (European Commission); countries that do not recognize Kosovo set their own rules for Kosovo passports
- EU membership: Kosovo applied to join the EU on 15 December 2022; five EU members do not recognize it, and the process is expected to be lengthy (RFE/RL)
- International organizations: Kosovo joined the IMF and the World Bank in 2009 (VOA), but cannot join UN bodies that require UN membership
- Sports: the IOC granted Kosovo full membership in December 2014 (ABC News), and FIFA admitted Kosovo in May 2016, a week after UEFA (Balkan Insight)
The ICJ Ruling and Its Impact on Recognition
The ICJ gave its advisory opinion on 22 July 2010, finding by ten votes to four that the declaration of independence did not violate international law, because “general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence”. The Court stressed that the question “does not ask whether or not Kosovo has achieved statehood” (ICJ summary). Recognition therefore remained a political decision for each state, as the US Institute of Peace analysis noted. Recognitions continued after 2010, but none of the large non-recognizers named above has changed its position.
For the full story of Kosovo’s independence declaration, see our article on Kosovo Independence Day.
Kosovo’s Path to Further Recognition
The EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, under way since 2011, produced the 2013 Brussels Agreement and, in February and March 2023, the Agreement on the path to normalisation and its Ohrid implementation annex (European Parliament Research Service). Security Council Report noted in September 2025 that there had been “no meaningful progress” in the dialogue (Security Council Report), and Carnegie Endowment authors described the situation in June 2026 as “managed stabilization, not genuine progress” (Carnegie).
For background, see our pages on the Kosovo War, Albanians in Serbia and whether Kosovo is Albanian.
Kosovo in International Sports and Culture
Kosovo competes in international sport despite not being a UN member. The IOC granted the Olympic Committee of Kosovo full membership in December 2014, ahead of Kosovo’s first Games in Rio in 2016 (ABC News). UEFA admitted Kosovo in May 2016 and FIFA followed on 13 May 2016 by 141 votes to 23 (Balkan Insight); see our page on the Kosovo national football team. All of Kosovo’s Olympic medals so far have come in judo: gold for Majlinda Kelmendi (2016), Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova (Tokyo 2020), then silver for Krasniqi and bronze for Laura Fazliu in Paris 2024 (Olympedia). For visiting, see our Kosovo travel guide and things to do in Pristina.
If you plan to visit both Kosovo and Serbia, check the order of travel: UK government advice says that to travel from Kosovo to Serbia you must have a Serbian entry stamp from a Serbian airport or land border, and that travellers without one are likely to be refused entry (UK FCDO). See also the Prizren guide and is Kosovo safe to visit?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries recognize Kosovo as of 2026?
As of 1 October 2026, 119 UN member states are on Kosovo’s official recognition list (121 entries including the Cook Islands and Niue), about 62 percent of the 193 UN members (Kosovo MFA list). Wikipedia counts 110 and Serbia’s president claimed 84 in January 2023. Recognizers include the United States, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada and 22 of the 27 EU members.
Does Argentina recognize Kosovo?
No. Argentina has not recognized Kosovo and is not on Kosovo’s official list as of 1 October 2026. Its foreign ministry supports UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and Serbia’s territorial integrity (Argentine foreign ministry). A 2025 photo of President Milei with Kosovo’s president and both countries joining the Board of Peace in January 2026 did not change that position.
Do Brazil, Mexico, China and India recognize Kosovo?
No. None of the four is on Kosovo’s recognition list (Kosovo MFA list). China says it respects Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (Chinese foreign ministry), India said in 2022 there was “no change” in its position (The Tribune), and Brazil has tied any solution to UN Resolution 1244 (NEIBA study).
Has any country recognized Kosovo in 2026?
Not as of 1 October 2026. The latest entries on the Kosovo MFA list are Kenya (26 March 2025), Sudan (13 April 2025), Syria (29 October 2025) and the Bahamas (19 December 2025) (Kosovo MFA list).
Is Kosovo a country?
Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008 and is recognized as a state by 119 UN members on its own count, but it is not a UN member and Serbia considers it part of its territory. The ICJ found in 2010 that the declaration did not violate international law but did not rule on whether Kosovo is a state (ICJ summary). It is a member of the IMF and World Bank (VOA).
Why does Serbia not recognize Kosovo?
Serbia regards Kosovo as part of its territory under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999), considers the 2008 declaration illegal and campaigns against recognition. Under the 2023 EU-brokered agreement, Serbia “will not object to Kosovo’s membership in any international organisation”; the agreement has no explicit recognition clause (EEAS).
Why don’t Russia and China recognize Kosovo?
Both support Serbia’s position (Security Council Report). Russia warned in 2008 that Kosovo’s secession would have repercussions for breakaway regions elsewhere (Al Jazeera); China says it “respects Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” (Chinese foreign ministry). Both are veto-holding permanent members of the UN Security Council, whose recommendation is needed for UN membership (UN Charter).
Which EU countries do not recognize Kosovo?
Five: Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain (Kosovo MFA list). Spain said in 2008 that the declaration did not respect international law, and Slovakia’s position was linked to its Hungarian minority (Al Jazeera); a 2023 legal study attributes all five positions to their internal situations (CYELP).
Can Kosovo join the UN?
Not at present. Admission to the UN is decided by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council (UN Charter, Article 4), where Russia and China, both veto holders, do not recognize Kosovo (Security Council Report). Kosovo is a member of the IMF and the World Bank, which do not require UN membership (VOA), and its Olympic committee is a full IOC member (ABC News).
Did the ICJ rule that countries must recognize Kosovo?
No. The ICJ found in 2010 that Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law, because “general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence”. It said the question it was asked did not concern the legal consequences of the declaration, including whether Kosovo had achieved statehood (ICJ summary). Recognition remains a political decision for each state.
Does Kosovo compete in international sports?
Yes. The IOC granted Kosovo full membership in December 2014, and UEFA and FIFA admitted Kosovo’s football federation in May 2016 (ABC News, Balkan Insight). Kosovo has won Olympic gold in judo through Majlinda Kelmendi (2016), Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova (Tokyo 2020) (Olympedia).
How does Kosovo’s recognition status affect travel?
Kosovo citizens have been able to visit the EU visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period since January 2024 (European Commission). For visitors, the main issue is the Serbia border: UK advice says that to travel from Kosovo to Serbia you need a Serbian entry stamp, and that Serbian authorities have in isolated cases cancelled Kosovo stamps or refused entry to foreigners with Kosovo stamps (UK FCDO). See our Kosovo travel guide and safety guide.
Resources
- Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora: List of Recognitions: The official list (121 entries, 119 UN members, checked 1 October 2026)
- International Court of Justice: Kosovo Advisory Opinion (2010): Full case documentation
- UN News: ICJ Kosovo Ruling: News coverage of the landmark decision
- US Institute of Peace: The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Kosovo: In-depth analysis of the ruling’s impact
- UNMIK: Resolution 1244: The foundational UN framework for Kosovo
- US State Department Office of the Historian: Kosovo: US policy history
- German Law Journal: ICJ Advisory Opinion Analysis: Academic legal analysis of the 2010 ruling
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Author: Dardanë Halimi
Dardanë Halimi is a writer and communications professional with an M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication from James Madison University. Her work focuses on storytelling, digital content, higher education, and strategic communication, with experience writing for academic, nonprofit, and marketing organizations in both the United States and Kosovo.
