[4] In 1999, the President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, was reported as wanting to step up attempts to secure a peace agreement for Kosovo in his new role as a leading negotiator for the European Union.

It was also reported that "Correspondents say that despite Mr Ahtisaari's support for air strikes, his position as president of a non-NATO country could make him palatable to Belgrade [Serbian Government].

[6] However, Ahtisaari's plan for peace failed[7] and he was unable to reconcile Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and that "Serbians see him as a leading player in the break-up of their country.

"[8] In 1999, Finland undertook minor initiatives, including funding the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to investigate war crimes and allocating a budget for small civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) projects through the Finnish KFOR Forces.

Initially implemented through Oxfam due to the lack of banking operations in Kosovo, the project was later managed by FIDIDA and the Finnish Association of the Deaf under a consultancy contract.

Additionally, Finland funded a mine-clearing project in 2000 (running until August 2001) implemented by ACT (Action Churches Together, Norwegian People's Aid, and UNOPS).

However, in the second phase (2003–2007), efforts to mainstream human rights education into all university teaching were slow, as noted in a 2004 mid-term review, though the project remained respected and experienced in Kosovo.

The battalion also included an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team with a specialized mine-clearing vehicle called "RAISU," which significantly contributed to clearing mines in Kosovo.

Finland, with a long tradition of peacekeeping since 1956, had previously served in Suez, Sinai, Lebanon, Cyprus, Bosnia, FYROM, Namibia, and Afghanistan.

During a visit to Finland, Minister of Diaspora Ibrahim Makolli highlighted the dual benefits of financial investments and new working cultures brought by migrants.

It also facilitates access to lower-interest loans via international banks, enabling Kosovar entrepreneurs to grow their ventures while maintaining ties to Kosovo.

On March 7, 2008, Finland formally recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state following a decision by the President Tarja Halonen, based on the Government's recommendation.

The EU had already committed to launching its largest civilian crisis management mission, EULEX, which was set to begin on June 15, 2008, with around 2,000 international experts.