03.03.2026.
Minister Gašić meets with Italian counterpart Crosetto
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić met today in Belgrade with his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto.
After the national anthems were played and a formal welcome was held in front of the Serbian Armed Forces Guard, the delegations held their discussions.At the start of the meeting, Minister Gašić emphasised that Serbia’s defence cooperation with Italy is built on mutual respect and underlined the potential to further strengthen it, both in quality and scope, in areas of shared interest. He also noted that the frequent high-level meetings are the result of the ongoing intensive political dialogue and the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2009.
The topics discussed at today’s meeting included defence cooperation and the security situation in the region. The officials also exchanged views on the current global geopolitical situation and the conflict in the Middle East.Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić noted that, domestically, the ongoing attempts to secede the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija remain the primary security challenge. He stressed that the safety of all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, regardless of nationality or religion, falls solely under the authority of KFOR, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement. Minister Gašić also expressed Serbia’s appreciation for the long-standing and continuous presence of the Italian Armed Forces in the KFOR mission.
Minister Gašić expressed his gratitude for the continued support for Serbia’s further progress toward EU accession, adding that, for the Ministry of Defence, this strategic commitment is being operationalized primarily through contributions to EU missions and operations. In doing so, Serbia also indirectly contributes to establishing a more secure environment.He underscored that the joint engagement in the UNIFIL mission is the most significant form of cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, supported by mutual respect and trust, which remain the key prerequisites for the successful execution of assigned tasks.
During the meeting, Minister Gašić noted that our country remains committed to military neutrality, while it continues to develop and strengthen relations with other countries and military-political alliances in line with its own interests and with a view to strengthening global, regional, and national security.The Minister of Defence thanked members of the Italian Armed Forces for taking part in Exercise Platinum Wolf conducted at Base South, underscoring the importance of cooperation in the field of CBRN defence. In this context, he highlighted the participation of Italian personnel in various training courses conducted at the CBRN Training Centre in Kruševac.
Italian Minister of Defence Crosetto thanked Minister Gašić for the opportunity to discuss cooperation between the two countries, noting that Italy regards Serbia as an important partner in the region and highlighting that the two countries are bound by traditionally strong and friendly relations. He also reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation in a substantive manner.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY03.03.2026
mp4 (152,18 MB)Formal welcome and meeting
