Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges in the 1990s war against Serbia as he appeared for the first time at a special international court in The Hague on Monday.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci resigned Thursday to face trial in a war crimes court in The Hague, a dramatic downfall for a politician who has dominated the former Serbian province for over a decade.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said Monday he would "immediately resign" if a special court in The Hague confirms war crimes charges levied against him last week over his role in Kosovo's 1990s war.

Kosovo embraced former US President Bill Clinton on Wednesday as it thanked the West for the NATO intervention 20 years ago that ended its separatist war with Serbia and cleared a path for independence.

Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States would remain a "champion" of an independent Kosovo, but he firmly warned its leaders against the "cancer" of corruption.