Military

Türkiye's top defense official held separate talks on June 16 with his Dutch and U.S. counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO meeting, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced. 

"Our government will continue to provide valuable practical support to Ukraine as long as it is needed." This was stated by Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev during the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission yesterday, June 15. According to him, NATO should go beyond the Bucharest decisions and promote relations with Ukraine at a higher strategic level.

Bulgaria joined the Multinational Ammunition Stockpiling Initiative today.

The news was announced by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană.

This happened at a ceremony during the two-day meeting in Brussels of the ministers of defense from the member countries of the pact. On the Bulgarian side, the document was signed by Todor Tagarev.

"It's time to send KSF to the north of the country," Azemi wrote on Facebook.
Regarding sending the so-called Kosovo Army to the north of Kosovo, Albin Kurti also spoke today after the Security Council meeting.

The fourth meeting on a joint permanent mechanism between Türkiye, Finland, Sweden and NATO has been held in the Turkish capital Ankara on June 14.

Akif Çağatay Kılıç, the chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, chaired the one-day meeting at the presidential complex.

However, ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, which begins on July 11, where confronting Russia will be high on the agenda, Sir Richard Shirreff, the former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said NATO was not ready for war with Moscow.

By order of the Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev, nearly 100 military personnel and equipment from the 10th mechanized battalion - Vratsa are involved today, June 13, in the activities to overcome the consequences of the floods in Berkovitsa. They will operate under the leadership of the commander of the Third Brigade Command, Colonel Mitko Baltov.

The largest air force maneuvers in NATO history begin today in German airspace. About 10,000 soldiers and 250 aircraft from 25 countries will participate in the two-week exercises.

NATO will begin the largest air force deployment exercise in Europe in the alliance's history on Monday in a display of unity toward partners and potential threats such as Russia.

The German-led "Air Defender 23" will run until June 23 and include some 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance.

Turkey is preparing to take command of NATO forces in Kosovo. This will take place as part of a planned rotation in the autumn after the worst clashes in the region in a decade.