Macedonian-Romanian defence cooperation will enhance at a strong pace – Minister Misajlovski mets with General Vlad

Minister of Defence Vlado Misajlovski, today, at the Ministry, met with the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Romanian Army, General Gheorghiță Vlad, who is paying an official visit to the Macedonian Army. During the meeting, they discussed the security situation in the region, as well as the opportunities for the enhancement of Macedonian-Romanian defence cooperation.

“Macedonian-Romanian defence cooperation is extremely intensive. We cooperate in key areas, such as training, courses and perhaps most importantly – joint military exercises that strengthen the interoperability between our two allied armies”, said the minister, referring to the joint exercise “Valiant strike 25” that took place earlier this year in Romania. In this context, Misajlovski emphasized that there have been opportunities to build-up on this cooperation, especially in the area of joint training and exercises, while also utilizing the Macedonian training facilities such as the Krivolak Training Area.

During the meeting, Minister Misajlovski emphasized that preserving the stability and security of the region and strengthening the eastern flank of the Alliance are of particular importance, and that is why the contribution of the Macedonian Army as part of the Alliance’s multinational forces in Romania, as well as in other missions in the region, will continue because the safety of citizens comes first.

As part of the visit, General Vlad met with the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Major General Sashko Lafchiski, in the course of which the interlocutors confirmed the cooperation between the two armies, which has been assessed as exceptionally good and at a high level in the past and the course of the previous year. The successful cooperation in the field of training and exercises carried out within the framework of the B-9 initiative, as well as within the framework of bilateral and regional activities, was particularly emphasized.

Among the key joint activities that stand out in 2025 is the military exercise VALIANT STRIKE 25, which was held in Romania. In addition, the two armies have established successful cooperation in the field of training, personnel exchange and participation in joint NATO missions, including the aforementioned NATO Multinational Force in Romania, which strengthens the security of the eastern flank of the Alliance.

The cooperation between the two countries is also taking place in regional and multilateral frameworks, such as SEDM, SEEBRIG, the B-9 Forum, RACVIAC and the Balkan Medical Task Force.