Albania is significantly investing in modernizing its military, with 50% of the defense budget dedicated to procurement of advanced weaponry from international partners, according to Defense Minister Pirro Vengu.
Vengu specified that the Albanian army will acquire:
- From the U.S. and U.K.: Javelin missiles and drones.
- From Israel: Mobile artillery, cannons, mortars, military trucks, and drones.
Additionally, the Albanian defense company KAYO is collaborating with Israeli partners to revive domestic arms production.
Commenting on recent geopolitical tensions between the U.S., the EU, and NATO, Minister Vengu emphasized Albania’s alignment:
“We are not in the middle between Washington and Brussels; we are inside Washington and inside Brussels.”
Regarding concerns from Belgrade about the trilateral defense cooperation agreement between Albania, Kosovo, and Croatia, Vengu stated:
“We invited Serbia to join, but received a refusal. We have advanced with the trilateral agreement.”
On the Pashaliman naval base, Vengu confirmed that Albania maintains its 1992 agreement with Turkey regarding the facility.
This strategic defense buildup signals Albania’s commitment to strengthening its security and regional cooperation with key Western partners
