Serbia Participates in First Joint Military Exercise with NATO Forces

Serbia and NATO Launch Joint Military Exercise

A two-week-long joint military exercise between Serbia and NATO has commenced, marking a significant cooperation between the Balkan country and the alliance. The exercise, which began on Tuesday and will conclude on May 23, involves approximately 600 troops from Serbia, Italy, Romania, and Turkey.

Military personnel from France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also participating in the drills. Photographs released during the exercise show Serbian and NATO soldiers standing together at a military training ground near Bujanovac in southern Serbia, alongside armoured vehicles from both forces.

According to the Serbian Ministry of Defence, the primary objective of the exercise is to preserve peace and stability in the region. Royal Navy Commander Ian Kewley stated that the planning process for this exercise was an important aspect of the joint endeavour, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly and share ideas and experience.

The tactical exercise falls under NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme, which Serbia has been a part of since 2002. This marks the first time a drill has been conducted directly with NATO, following a nearly two-decade-long partnership. The exercise is being conducted in full respect of Serbia’s stated policy of military neutrality.

Source: Al Jazeera