NATO has begun joint military exercises in Albania with thousands of troops from the United States and other countries as part of the first large-scale exercise in the Western Balkans since World War II, AP reported referring to U.S. army official Col. Joseph Scrocca.

As a loyal NATO ally since 2009, Albania is a valuable security partner, both regionally and globally, he said. 

He noted that Albania is playing a decisive role in the DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercise, with joint ground logistics operations being carried out “for the first time in Europe since World War II at the Port of Durres.” 

Since April 26, US troops have been deployed to conduct training at five other land, naval, and air bases in Albania until June 10.

“This historic mission demonstrates our ability to serve as a strategic security partner in the western Balkans and Black Sea regions,” Scrocca said.

DEFENDER-Europe is an annual US Army-led, large-scale, multinational exercise, defensive in nature and designed to contain aggression, which this year aims to improve operational readiness and engagement with NATO and more allies and partners across a wider area of ​​operations than ever before.

About 28,000 US, allied and partner forces from 26 countries will conduct near-simultaneous operations at more than 30 training grounds in more than a dozen countries from the Baltic and Africa to the critical regions of the Black Sea and the Balkans.