22.05.2026.

Distinguished Visitors Day held at NATO-Serbia Military Exercise

The Distinguished Visitors Day for the NATO-Serbia multinational tactical exercise was held today at the Borovac training area near Bujanovac.

The first joint military exercise between the Republic of Serbia and NATO was attended by Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić, Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General Kevin Hamilton, Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Admiral George Wikoff, ambassadors of participating countries, defence attaches, members of the Defence Minister’s and the Chief of the General Staff’s collegiums, and commanders of Serbian Armed Forces units.

Approximately 600 personnel from the Serbian Armed Forces and the armed forces of Italy, Romania, and Türkiye participated in the exercise jointly organized by the Serbian Army Command and the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, along with military planners and observers from Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Romania, the United States, Serbia, Türkiye, France, and Montenegro.

Exercise Director Colonel Branislav Stevanović, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Army Brigade, noted that the exercise scenario had been tailored to the units designated for deployment to peacekeeping operations, and added that the execution of the tasks required a high degree of training and readiness.

- The participants demonstrated a high level of competence in executing a wide range of tasks in line with their declared capabilities. All participants worked together with a high degree of professionalism and competence, carrying out complex tasks and successfully achieving all exercise objectives – Colonel Stevanović emphasized.

NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General Kevin Hamilton said that the exercise represented an impressive collective endeavour between the Serbian Armed Forces and their partners.

- I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. This kind of joint training contributes to strengthening practical cooperation between NATO and Serbia and to consolidate regional stability for the benefit of all. NATO stands ready to further develop our relations with Serbia, in full respect of Serbia’s military neutrality. I am confident that moving forward, the NATO-Serbia partnership should be a two-way street. It will be a partnership based on mutual trust and respect, and a genuine commitment to regional stability – Hamilton said.

Today, exercise participants demonstrated procedures in response to an attack on a checkpoint, medical evacuation, cordon and search operations, reconnaissance, urban combat, and a helicopter insertion operation.

The exercise was conducted based on the conclusion of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and it was a continuation of the Serbia - NATO cooperation within the framework of the Partnership for Peace programme, on equal grounds and in full respect of our military neutrality. This cooperation aims at preserving peace and stability in the region, improving the operational capabilities of the armed forces, and strengthening confidence and mutual understanding.