Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio on Wednesday praised Italian soldiers deployed to the Nato-led KFOR force for their "exceptional" efforts in keeping the peace in Kosovo.
"The Italian government and citizens' profound gratitude to all of you for the exceptional work you are doing, your professionalism and sense of duty, even in difficult circumstances," Di Maio said, according to a foreign ministry tweet.
Di Maio made the remarks during a visit to Kosovo, where he visited KFOR headquarters and held talks with the peacekeeping force's commander, Italian general Franco Federici.
The minister told Federici that KFOR continues to have Italy's "full support" and the mission "remains crucial for the security and stability of Kosovo and the Balkan region."
Italy has 490 troops stationed in Kosovo and is the second largest contributor to the 3,347-strong KFOR force after the United States.
