Armenia not participating in US-NATO-led Defender Europe 21 exercises

YEREVAN, April 27. /ARKA/. Armenia's Defense Ministry said today it will not send troops to participate in the NATO Defender Europe 21 exercises, an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational, joint exercise designed to build readiness and interoperability between U.S., NATO and partner militaries.

"Despite the earlier made official explanation in response to mass media inquiries, we note once again that the Armenian Ministry of Defense does not envisage participation of its armed forces in the NATO military exercises Defender Europe 21," the ministry said in a press release.

Earlier, on March 18, 2021, the Armenian Defense Ministry stated that Armenian Armed Forces will not participate in the Defender Europe 21 exercises. It was said that the Armenian side has asked the organizers to remove it from the list of participating countries.

The largest US-NATO-led military exercise in Europe in the last 30 years involving more than 28,000 soldiers from 26 counties kicked off in March and will run until June.

During the exercise, US forces will demonstrate their ability to be a strategic security partner in the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region, supporting activities in northern Europe, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Africa, the US Army Command said. --0--