After repeated threats of NATO air strikes, Milosevic agrees at the last minute to a truce calling for the removal of Serbian troops from Kosovo . Despite the agreement, fighting continues in the region. The killing of 45 ethnic Albanians by Serb forces in the town of Racak leads to international pleas for peace once again. February 1999 Serb and ethnic Albanian representatives meet at Rambouillet , France to discuss options for peace. Both sides are reluctant to compromise, and the talks break up without a plan in place.
Fighting continues in Kosovo, even as a second round of talks gets underway in Paris.
The ethnic Albanians finally take a step toward peace, signing a deal that calls for interim autonomy and a NATO force of 28,000 to monitor the region. Milosevic responds by reiterating Serbian disapproval and the talks are again suspended without an agreement. The Serbs return home under the threat of NATO airstrikes. 22 American diplomat Richard Holbrooke visits Belgrade in a final, unsuccessful attempt to convince Milosevic to agree to NATO's terms. 24 NATO begins launching air strikes in an attempt to force Serbia to cease hostilities and allow ethnic Albanian refugees to return to their homes in Kosovo.