Bosnia Welcomes US Servicemen In Preparation For NATO Immediate Response 21 Drills

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2021) Bosnia and Herzegovina's military command along with diplomats from the US embassy are welcoming American servicemen who arrived in the country for the Immediate Response 21 exercises, a part of large-scale NATO drills Defender Europe 21, the Bosnian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, over 300 US troops from the National Guards of Alabama and Florida landed in Bosnia, the US European Command reported. Bosnia is not a NATO member, but a participant of the Partnership for Peace program. Earlier in May, Defense Minister Sifet Podzic said that the country is on the last stage toward its membership in the alliance.

"In view of the Immediate Response 21 exercises, Bosnian Defense Minister Sifet Podzic, US Ambassador Eric Nelson, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff AF B&H for Operations Ivica Jerkic and NATO HQ Sarajevo Chief Brig. Gen. Eric Folkestad are meeting US servicemen at Sarajevo international airport," the ministry said.

Immediate Response 21 will take place in 12 countries. The Albanian port of Durres became on May 4 the first in the Western Balkans to host maneuvers as part of the Defender Europe 21 exercises.