UDS Female Demining Specialists Meet with the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo

On 24 February, marking the fourth anniversary of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, invited Ukrainian citizens currently in Kosovo under international programmes to the Government building in Pristina. Among them were UDS female deminers undergoing international training at the MAT Kosovo – EOD & ERW Training Establishment, as well as Ukrainian journalists participating in the “Journalists-in-Residence Kosovo” programme. The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, Ejup Maqedonci, also took part in the event alongside the Prime Minister.

The event was organised with the support of UN Women and served as a demonstration of the Republic of Kosovo’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people and its continued support for Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression.

It also provided an important platform for dialogue on the consequences of the war for Ukraine, the scale of mine contamination, and the critical role of international cooperation in preparing qualified specialists to clear explosive hazards.

💬 “Kosovo rose from the ashes of war to become a sovereign, democratic, and secure country because our people refused to surrender. We see the same strength today in Ukraine.

Even after four years of Russia’s attempts to occupy Ukraine, we stand with the Ukrainian people in empathy and solidarity. The citizens of Kosovo know the pain of loss and displacement, but we also know that countries can rebuild, heal, and emerge stronger. We believe that Ukraine will do the same,” said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.

Following the war of 1998–1999, the Republic of Kosovo faced extensive mine contamination, and the clearance process has continued for more than 25 years. Today, the country is in the final stages of demining and has developed one of the strongest capacities in the world for training specialists in accordance with international standards.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, MAT Kosovo has trained more than 500 Ukrainian specialists across various IMAS competency levels, demonstrating sustained support for Ukraine.

During the meeting, UDS humanitarian deminer Daria Sheremet expressed gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Kosovo for its support of Ukraine.

💬 “It is a great honour for me to represent Ukraine and our team of UDS women here. We are sincerely grateful for the support and the opportunity to study at MAT Kosovo. Kosovo has a unique experience in overcoming the consequences of war, and this experience is extremely valuable for us,” said Daria Sheremet.

As a gesture of appreciation and solidarity, Daria presented the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo with a UDS branded bracelet as a symbol of support for Ukraine and international partnership.

We would like to remind that five UDS female deminers are currently enhancing their qualifications at the MAT Kosovo – EOD & ERW Training Establishment, mastering modern methods and international demining standards necessary for clearing explosive hazards in Ukraine.

Their participation in the course was made possible following an invitation from the Ukrainian Deminers Association within the framework of the “She is a Deminer” project, implemented jointly with Girls NGO and UN Women Ukraine, with financial support from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. The course will continue until 13 March 2026.