American and Serbian paratroopers held joint military exercises Friday in Serbia, watched with unease by Russia, which is trying to increase its influence in the Balkans and keep the country within its fold.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the last day of the four-day drill that included joint jumps by Serbian and U.S. parachutists from two U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules transport planes that flew close to the Serbian capital, Belgrade.
"The joint exercise contributes to the (military) skills, but also enhances partnership and friendship that was not always seen in the past," Vucic said. "I'm grateful to our American partners who have showed that in a short time we could organize these activities."
Members of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and Serbian Army parachutists jump from a US Air Force C-130 transport aircraft during a bilateral Serbian and U.S. airborne exercise at Lisicji jarak airport, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. American and Serbian paratroopers have held joint exercises in Serbia which is watched with unease in Russia that is trying to increase its influence in the Balkans. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
In 1999, a 78-day U.S.-led NATO bombardment ended a Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists in its former province of Kosovo, making the Western military alliance very unpopular among the Serbs.
John Gronski, the U.S. Army Europe deputy commanding general, said after the drills that such exercises with the Serbian forces "build the readiness of both of our militaries and when you have ready military, a region can be more stable and secure. "
American and NATO-related military drills in the Balkans regularly trigger anger by the Kremlin, which opposes its expansion in the former communist Eastern Europe. Serbia is considered the last remaining Russian ally in the region.
Serbia, which tries to politically balance between Russia and the West while seeking European Union membership, claims military neutrality. But Moscow has been arming the country with fighter jets and other equipment, worrying neighboring states in the region that saw a bloody civil war in the 1990s.
NATO and Serbia have been improving cooperation since the country joined its outreach Partnership for Peace program in 2006.
A member of the Serbian Army special forces stands guard by an old plane bearing the old Yugoslav flag with the communist five-point star during a bilateral Serbian and U.S. airborne exercise at Lisicji jarak airport, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. American and Serbian paratroopers have held joint exercises in Serbia which is watched with unease in Russia that is trying to increase its influence in the Balkans. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
"I believe that we will improve (our relations) in the future," Vucic said, adding that "Serbia will, understandably, jealously preserve its military neutrality."
Gronski, the U.S. general, said whether Serbia eventually joins NATO depends on politicians.
Members of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and Serbian Army parachutists jump from a US Air Force C-130 transport aircraft during a bilateral Serbian and U.S. airborne exercise at Lisicji jarak airport, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. American and Serbian paratroopers have held joint exercises in Serbia which is watched with unease in Russia that is trying to increase its influence in the Balkans. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Members of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and Serbian Army parachutists jump from a US Air Force C-130 transport aircraft during a bilateral Serbian and U.S. airborne exercise at Lisicji jarak airport, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. American and Serbian paratroopers have held joint exercises in Serbia which is watched with unease in Russia that is trying to increase its influence in the Balkans. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
DIRMISKES, Lithuania (AP) — Polish President Andrzej Duda said Friday that “a potential aggressor must see our readiness" as he and his Lithuanian counterpart monitored a joint military drill along their shared border.
Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda met on the last day of the week-long Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise along the Suwalki Gap, a strategically important stretch of land that's considered a potential flashpoint area in case of a standoff between Russia and NATO.
The border, almost 100 kilometers (62 miles) long between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, is also a land corridor between Belarus, a Moscow ally, and Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad.
“There is a potential threat, which is why these exercises are going on," Duda said.
The drill included 1,500 Lithuanian infantry soldiers, nearly 200 members of Poland’s 15th Mechanized Brigade, and U.S. and Portuguese military personnel.
Until recently the land border was seen as vulnerable because if Russia were to ever seize the Suwalki Gap, it could leave Lithuania and the other two Baltic states, Latvia and Estonia, cut off from Poland and other NATO allies.
However that perception of the corridor has changed since Sweden joined NATO in March, as the Baltic Sea now is almost surrounded by NATO countries and any attempts to cut off the corridor would not leave Baltic countries severed. The Baltic Sea is Russia’s maritime point of access to the city of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, which is separated from the Russian mainland.
The border stretch, named after a nearby Polish town, also provides land access connections between Belarus and Kaliningrad. Russian citizens have a visa waiver arrangement for passing through the area.
—— Dapkus reported from Vilnius, Lithuania.
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Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausedas and Poland's President Andrej Duda, right, attend a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda speaks during a joint media conference with Poland's President Andrej Duda during the Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap close to the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. The week-long military exercise which started April 22, is to test a defense scenario on the bilateral so-called “Orsha” plan to defend the Suwałki Gap, a corridor of almost 100 kilometers (62 miles) between the two NATO members Poland and Lithuania. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda, right, speaks during a joint media conference with Poland's President Andrej Duda, during the Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. The week-long military exercise which started April 22, is to test a defense scenario on the bilateral so-called “Orsha” plan to defend the Suwałki Gap, a corridor of almost 100 kilometers (62 miles) between the two NATO members Poland and Lithuania. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
From left, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces Gen. Wieslaw Kukula, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda and Poland's President Andrej Duda to watch a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuanian Army soldiers take part in a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Military vehicles takes part in the Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
A Lithuanian Army soldier takes part in a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Poland's President Andrej Duda, left, and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda sit together to watch a Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda and Poland's President Andrej Duda, left, arrive to attend in the Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap near the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. Over 1500 troops and 200 pieces of tactical equipment are rehearsing defence scenarios under the bilateral Lithuanian-Polish Orsha Plan near the Suwalki Gap. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Poland's President Andrej Duda speaks during a joint media conference with Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda during the Lithuanian-Polish Brave Griffin 24/II military exercise near the Suwalki Gap close to the Polish border at the Dirmiskes village, Alytus district west of the capital Vilnius in Lithuania on Friday, April 26, 2024. The week-long military exercise which started April 22, is to test a defense scenario on the bilateral so-called “Orsha” plan to defend the Suwałki Gap, a corridor of almost 100 kilometers (62 miles) between the two NATO members Poland and Lithuania. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
