17 April 2026 12:57 UTC · NATO · NATO News · Source · Email X Link

NATO says Western Balkans remains high priority

Key points

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone reaffirmed NATO commitment to the Western Balkans
CMC met Bosnian political and military leaders to discuss defence cooperation

TL;DR

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone visited Bosnia and Herzegovina on 16–17 April 2026 to discuss partnership and cooperation with political and military leadership.
CMC met Deputy Minister Slaven Galić, Chief of the Joint Staff Gojko Knežević, Brigadier General Mathew A. Valas, and Principal Deputy of the High Representative Louis J. Crishock to discuss defence sector reforms, Partnership for Peace activities, and military cooperation.
NATO noted NATO Headquarters Sarajevo as testimony to the Alliance’s commitment and reaffirmed it will not allow a security vacuum to emerge in the Western Balkans.

Original text

Create an account Reset password Already have an account? Log in From now on you can download videos from our website If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below. Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password. The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Click the button to return to the page you were on and log in with your new password. 17 April 2026 1 MIN READ Sarajevo, 16-17 April 2026 – The Chair of the NATO the Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, paid an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss partnership and cooperation between the country and the Alliance with the nation’s political and military leadership. During the visit, the CMC met with the Deputy Minister of Defence for Policy and Plans, Mr. Slaven Galić and the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, General Gojko Knežević. They discussed the importance the Alliance places on the Western Balkans region. NATO Headquarters Sarajevo is another testimony of the strong Alliance commitment to the regional security. The hosts presented the readiness of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the partnership with NATO, and future plans for defence sector. Admiral Cavo Dragone reaffirmed, “I want to assure you, that the Western Balkans remains high on NATO’s agenda. It is a region of strategic importance for the Alliance. Our commitment to the region’s stability is steadfast and we will not allow a security vacuum to emerge.” Additionally, while in-country, CMC met with the Commander, NATO HQ Sarajevo, and Senior Military Representative, Brigadier General Mathew A. Valas; Principal Deputy of the High Representative (OHR) Mr. Louis J. Crishock, discussing importance of defence and security sector reforms, NATO partnership for peace activities, and wide NATO’s military cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Link was copied to clipboard GALLERIES Chair of the Military Committee visits Bosnia and Herzegovina 17 April 2026 1 / 4 Chair of the Military Committee Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone visits Bosnia and Herzegovina Chair of the NATO the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, with the political and military leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chair of the NATO the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, with the Commander, NATO HQ Sarajevo, and Senior Military Representative, Brigadier General Mathew A. Valas Chair of the NATO the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, participating in a Press Conference alongside, the Deputy Minister of Defence for Policy and Plans, Mr. Slaven Galić Back VIEW METADATA VIEW IMAGE Assets details Description Creation date Location Themes Reference Resolution Aspect radio Format Usage right Credit

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Sarajevo

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Bosnia And Herzegovina