Kosovo will host the largest U.S. military exercise in Europe once again this year, with the Defender Europe 2025 exercise organized by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa. This military exercise is set to take place across the continent, and on June 13, Kosovo will sign a defense cooperation framework agreement with the United States.
Prime Minister-designate Albin Kurti emphasized that this year Kosovo has been chosen as the country where the U.S. will establish its division command, from which all operations in the Balkans will be directed, KosovaPress reports.
At the General Assembly meeting, Kurti revealed that this will be the third time Kosovo hosts such a large-scale military exercise. Over 1,000 soldiers from Kosovo’s Security Forces will be involved both domestically and internationally.
Furthermore, Kurti announced that on June 13, a framework defense cooperation agreement for 2025-2030 will be signed in Washington, between Kosovo’s Minister of Defense and the U.S. defense representative.
Kurti also noted that significant steps have been taken toward NATO membership, with key investments in the military, including a doubling of the military personnel, a tripling of the defense budget, a fourfold increase in international training, and a hundredfold increase in arms and ammunition procurement.
