Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia will conduct their first trilateral joint military exercise this year, aligning with NATO’s strategic concepts and Euro-Atlantic objectives, officials announced.
The announcement followed a tripartite meeting of defense ministers held in Albania, focusing on expanding cooperation through joint training and exercises. The Kosovo Security Force (FSK) confirmed that General Bashkim Jashari represented Kosovo, discussing regional security challenges, deepening military collaboration, increasing interoperability, and advancing defense capabilities according to Euro-Atlantic standards.
Albania was represented by General Arben Kingji, and Croatia by General Tihomir Kundid.
The FSK highlighted that the meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the three countries to peace, stability, and sustainable security in the region, while also emphasizing the importance of experience sharing, strategic coordination, and joint training initiatives.
Albanian Defense Minister Pirro Vengu described the meeting as a significant step within the framework of the trilateral defense declaration reached last year, tweeting: “More military cooperation, more interoperability, more operational readiness.”
According to the declaration, the four main areas of cooperation include:
- Promoting collaboration in defense capabilities and defense industry.
- Increasing interoperability through education, training, and joint exercises.
- Addressing hybrid threats and enhancing resilience.
- Providing continuous support for Euro-Atlantic integration.
The agreement also includes plans for joint procurement of armaments from the United States, strengthening security and stability in Southeastern Europe.
While Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić previously described the pact as a “military alliance targeting Serbia”, officials from Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia insist the agreement is not directed against any country, and Serbia had been invited to join but did not respond.
