NATO-Serbia Multinational Exercise Completed
Friday, 22.5.2026 | International Co-operation
The first joint military exercise between the Republic of Serbia and NATO, organized by the Army Command and JFC Naples, has been completed today at the Borovac training ground near Bujanovac.
The final exercise activities were attended by Minister of Defense Bratislav Gašić and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, with members of their collegiums, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General Kevin Hamilton, Commander of JFC Naples, Admiral George Wikoff, ambassadors, defense attachés and commanders of the Serbian Armed Forces units.
About 600 members of the Serbian Armed Forces and the armed forces of Italy, Romania and Türkiye participated in the exercise, in the presence of military planners and observers from Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Romania, the United States of America, Serbia, Türkiye, France and Montenegro.
The exercise leader, deputy commander of the 3rd Army Brigade, Colonel Branislav Stevanović, has pointed out that the concept of the exercise was adapted to units intended for participation in peacekeeping missions, and that the implementation of the tasks required a high degree of skills and readiness.
— The participants showed a high level of ability to perform a wide range of tasks in accordance with the declared abilities. All participants performed together complex tasks with high professionalism and competence, fulfilling all set exercise objectives — emphasized Colonel Stevanović.
NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General Kevin Hamilton has said that the exercise was an impressive display of the joint work of the Serbian Armed Forces and their partners.
— I would like to praise all the participants for their hard work, professionalism and commitment to excellent results. Such joint exercises help build capabilities between Serbia and NATO because they contribute to consolidation in the region. NATO still intends to improve cooperation with Serbia while fully respecting its military neutrality. I am convinced that further cooperation should be a two-way street. It will be a partnership based on trust, respect and commitment to regional security — said Hamilton.
Today, exercise participants have demonstrated their skills and competence in the application of tactics, techniques and procedures in the event of an attack on a checkpoint, during medical evacuation by air, helicopter landing, blocking and searching the terrain, and fighting in a populated area.
The exercise was conducted on the basis of the conclusion of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and represents a continuation of cooperation between Serbia and NATO within the Partnership for Peace program on equal grounds and with respect for our military neutrality, in order to preserve peace and stability in the region, improve the operational capabilities of the armed forces and strengthen trust and mutual understanding.
During his stay at the “South” Base, Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, met with commander of JFC Naples, American Admiral George Wikoff, with whom he discussed the exercise which has just been completed, the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the activities that the Serbian Armed Forces and KFOR are undertaking to monitor the situation on the ground and prevent crisis escalation.
