BELGRADE, May 14-RIA Novosti. The military leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and representatives of the US Embassy on Friday will solemnly welcome the participants of the stage of the largest NATO exercise Defender Europe 21, the Ministry of Defense of the country said.
BiH is not a member of NATO, the country participates in the Partnership for Peace program. However, the head of the Defense Ministry, Sifet Poggić, told local media in May that Sarajevo is "on the last step before membership" in the alliance. On the main page of the website of the Ministry of Defense, the slogan "United on the path to NATO"is posted. The European Command of the US Armed Forces (EUCOM) officially announced the arrival on Friday of more than 300 US troops from the National Guards of Alabama and Florida for the exercises in BiH.
"In connection with the exercise Rapid Response 21 (Immediate Response 21) at the international airport of Sarajevo, the US military are met by the Minister of Defense of BiH Sifet Pogic, US Ambassador Eric Nelson, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff of the BiH Armed Forces of BiH, Major General Ivica Jerkic and the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, US Brigadier General Eric Folkestad," the Bosnian Defense Ministry said. The meeting will be solemn, with a guard of honor.
At this stage of the maneuvers, according to the official website of EUCOM, the exercises will be held in 12 countries at 31 sites. The first Defender Europe 21 maneuvers in the Western Balkans region were launched in the Albanian port of Durres on May 4 in the presence of the country's top leadership and several American generals.
According to the plan of the exercises in May-June, about 28 thousand military personnel of several states will take part in them. These maneuvers will be used to practice defensive and offensive actions in Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. In contrast to previous years, in 2021, special attention will be paid not to Eastern, but to South-Eastern Europe. Maneuvers are planned in Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania with the participation of local military personnel. Bulgaria and Romania will host air defense exercises, while Hungary will serve as the rear.