Kosovo will once again be the host of Defender Europe 25, the largest U.S.-planned and organized military exercise in Europe, according to acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The exercise is overseen by the United States Army Europe and Africa Command and marks the third time Kosovo has welcomed such a large-scale operation on its territory.
In his remarks at a General Council meeting of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Kurti emphasized the growing importance of Kosovo's role in regional defense. Notably, he announced that this year the U.S. will establish a divisional command in Kosovo, from which all operations conducted in the Balkan region will be led.
More than 1,000 members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) will participate in Defender Europe 25, both within Kosovo and abroad. This continued military collaboration highlights Kosovo’s strategic significance and deepening ties with NATO allies.
In addition to the military exercise, Prime Minister Kurti revealed that on June 13, a landmark Defense Cooperation Framework Agreement will be signed in Washington, D.C., between the Minister of Defense of Kosovo and a representative from the U.S. Department of Defense. This agreement will cover cooperation from 2025 through 2030 and is expected to solidify long-term strategic defense ties between the two nations.
Kurti stated that substantive steps are being taken toward NATO membership, with significant investment made in the country’s defense sector. During his term, the number of KSF soldiers has doubled, the defense budget has tripled, overseas training has quadrupled, and military equipment and ammunition purchases have increased a hundredfold.
These developments underscore Kosovo’s growing commitment to contributing to regional and international security, as well as its evolving partnership with the United States in the defense domain.
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