Kosovo has been selected as the command site for the 28th Infantry Division of the United States Army during Defender Europe 25, the continent’s largest military exercise. The announcement came after a high-level meeting between Kosovo’s Minister of Defense Ejup Maqedonci and Major General Michael E. Wegscheider, Commander of the 28th Division, and Major General Stephen Osborn, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard.
U.S. Generals Visit Babaj i Bokës Training Area
General Wegscheider traveled from the United States to Babaj i Bokës to personally inspect ongoing operations tied to the Defender Europe 25 drills. The visit underscores Kosovo’s strategic role in NATO and U.S. military planning in the Balkans.
“I expressed my gratitude that Kosovo was chosen for the division’s command location,” said Minister Maqedonci in a statement on Facebook.
Strengthening Kosovo’s Defense Capabilities
During the meeting, discussions also centered on Kosovo’s active participation in the multinational exercise and the broader transformation of its Security Force (FSK). Maqedonci detailed ongoing efforts to implement the General Transition Plan, including restructuring the Ministry of Defense and the FSK to meet strategic defense objectives.
“The focus remains on strengthening our military and enhancing national security,” he said.
U.S.–Kosovo Strategic Defense Partnership
General Wegscheider reaffirmed the enduring U.S.-Kosovo defense partnership, emphasizing that cooperation will only continue to grow across multiple sectors.
“The United States will always be a friendly nation, a strategic partner, and a lasting ally of Kosovo and its democratic values,” Maqedonci concluded.
This development marks another significant milestone in Kosovo’s integration into Euro-Atlantic defense structures and its evolving strategic relevance in regional security.
