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Kosovan–Turkish relations refers to the historic and current relationship between Kosovo and Turkey. Kosovo has an embassy in Ankara and Turkey has an embassy in Prishtina. Both nations are predominantly Muslim and seek to join the EU.
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Turkey has an estimated 1.3 to 5 million citizens of full or partial Albanian descent, and many still feel a connection to Kosovo. The Albanian diaspora in Turkey was formed during the Ottoman era through economic migration and early years of the Turkish republic through migration due to sociopolitical discrimination and violence experienced by Albanians in Balkan countries. The bond between these two nations stems from historical, socio-cultural and religious reasons. Many Albanians during the Ottoman period converted to Islam the official religion at that time and contributed heavily to the Ottoman empire and wider Muslim world.
Relations
During the Kosovo war in Turkey there was a sense of historic responsibility to assist Kosovan Albanians due to them being Muslims and former loyal Ottoman citizens. The Turkish population was concerned over events in Kosovo and due to historical, cultural, religious and other ties to the Balkans supported their government's anti-Serb and pro-NATO position. Though expressing hesitation about a ground offensive, NATO member Turkey strongly supported and was involved in the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia supplying eighteen fighter jets. With the conclusion of the war Turkey has assisted Kosovo regarding stability and security through OSCE, UNMIK and KFOR missions deploying 1,000 troops through the latter in 1999. Turkey currently has 540 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led Kosovo Force. When Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, Turkey became one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo. Turkey turned its coordination office in Pristina into an Embassy after a cabinet decision to open a mission in Kosovo. The decision came in accordance with the reciprocity principle common in diplomatic relations, when Kosovo announced that it was planning to open one of its first foreign missions in Ankara.
State relations of Kosovo with Turkey are friendly and close, due to the Albanian population of Turkey maintaining close links with Albanians of the Balkans and vice versa and also Turkey maintaining close socio-political, cultural, economic and military ties with Kosovo. Turkey has been supportive of Kosovan geopolitical interests within the Balkans. In Gallup polls conducted in recent times, Turkey is viewed as a friendly country with a positive image amongst a large majority (85 percent) of people in Kosovo. Kosovan Albanians view Turkey as a trustworthy partner toward efforts in constructing an modern European country. The closeness of Muslim traditions in Kosovo to those in Turkey has heightened the positive image and increased influence of the latter for Albanians. Turkey is viewed as a traditional ally of the Albanians and the West and one of the main reasons for friendship with Turkey is due to its support for Kosovan independence. As Kosovan Albanians have personal documentation only from the Republic of Kosovo, Turkey is one of a few places they can travel without applying for an entry permit. In October 2013 during an official state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he affirmed close ties with Kosovo by stating in a speech that "We all belong to a common history, common culture, common civilisation; we are the people who are brethren of that structure. Do not forget, Turkey is Kosovo, Kosovo is Turkey!". The comments caused outrage in Serbia.
Economic and Cultural relations
The Albanian diaspora in Turkey lobbied the Turkish government for recognition of Kosovo's independence by Turkey. The number of ethnic Albanian Kosovars living in Turkey is estimated to be higher than that of those living in Kosovo itself. The current AKP Turkish political leadership has acknowledged that there are large numbers of people with Albanian origins within Turkey, more than so in Kosovo and neighbouring Albania combined and are aware of their influence and impact on domestic Turkish politics. Kosovo is the home of Mehmet Akif Ersoy, writer of the Turkish National Anthem, and many other notable Turks with an Albanian origin. There are 20,000 Turks living in Kosovo, and Turkish is one of the official regional languages of Kosovo.
From the 2000s onward Turkey's involvement and leverage within a political and economic context was deepened in Kosovo and the wider Balkans, due to the endevours of the ruling AKP party wanting closer relations with countries that have Ottoman heritage and geo-political relevancy. Turkey has become an important trading partner for Kosovo with its trade turnover being 8 percent. Turkey has invested in Kosovo through Turkish construction projects and investments and have been focused toward key areas such as the building of strategic highways and rehabilitation and management of airports while construction contracts in the early 2010s totaled $500 million in Kosovo. Turkey is one of the top three investors and an important donor country for Kosovo.