Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, wants to reduce the number of American troops in Kosovo, signalling that the Pentagon would like Nato allies to assume more responsibility for the mission in the breakaway Serbian province.

“We are all working together in Kosovo and the Balkans. Of course, we all went in together, and we have said we will come out together,” Mr Rumsfeld said in an interview with the Financial Times. “I am personally hoping that we can continue to reduce some of our forces there.”