Serbia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have officially launched their first joint military exercise, a landmark event in relations between the Balkan state and the military alliance that bombed its capital, Belgrade, less than 30 years ago.
The two-week exercise runs from May 13 to May 23, involving about 600 troops from Serbia, Italy, Romania, and Turkey. Military planners and observers from France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also taking part.
Released images show Serbian and NATO soldiers standing together at a military firing range near Bujanovac in southern Serbia, alongside armored vehicles from both forces.
“This cooperation aims to protect peace and stability in the region,” Serbia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. Royal Navy Commander Ian Kewley stressed: “Planning this drill is an important part of the joint effort. Both NATO and the Serbian Armed Forces have a long track record of planning major international exercises, so the teams were able to coordinate and deploy seamlessly, sharing ideas and experiences.”
The tactical exercise is part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, which Serbia joined nearly 20 years ago. The country regularly participates in drills with NATO member states, but this marks the first time it has conducted an exercise directly with the alliance.
NATO remains a sensitive issue in Serbia following the alliance’s 1999 air campaign against Yugoslavia during the Kosovo war. A NATO-led peacekeeping force has been stationed in Kosovo since the war ended, and Serbia has never recognized the former province’s declaration of independence.
Serbia is one of the few Balkan countries not in NATO, maintaining a policy of military neutrality while balancing close ties with both NATO and Russia. It has significantly boosted its military capabilities over the past decade, acquiring weapons from NATO member states as well as from Russia and China.
A NATO official said the exercise was conducted “in full respect of Serbia’s declared policy of military neutrality.”
