Helez and Crosetto Meet in Sarajevo: Italy's Support for BiH Confirmed During Visit of Italian Minister of Defence

(Patria) - The Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, received a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Italy on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, for an official visit, led by His Excellency Guido Crosetto, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Italy, who is visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Resource Management, Aleksandar Goganović, the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of BiH, Lieutenant General Gojko Knežević, and the Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff of the AF BiH for Resources, Major General Mirsad Ahmić.

During the meeting, the delegations confirmed the exceptionally friendly relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Italy, as well as the continuous, substantial, and high-quality bilateral cooperation in the field of defence.

Discussions were held on the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Republic of Italy once again confirming its strong and unambiguous support for the European and NATO path of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Special attention was paid to discussions on the possibilities of more active participation of the Republic of Italy in the NATO Defence Capacity Building (DCB) program, aimed at equipping, modernizing, and strengthening the capacities of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Minister Helez particularly emphasized the significance of the overall support that the Republic of Italy provides to Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the training of cadets of the Armed Forces of BiH in the military educational institutions of the Republic of Italy.

On that occasion, Minister Crosetto expressed full support and readiness for the Republic of Italy to provide any kind of assistance in the area of training and education of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Furthermore, discussions were held on the important role of the Republic of Italy in preserving a stable security environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina through active participation in the EUFOR Althea mission. The Republic of Italy provides significant support to this mission, and it was particularly emphasized that during 2026, it will assume command of the EUFOR Althea mission, thereby once again confirming its strong commitment to peace, security, and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region.

“I am satisfied and encouraged by the messages from Minister Crosetto, who clearly stated that any attempt to destabilize the Western Balkans represents a form of hybrid action directed against Europe, and that the security of the Balkans is directly and inseparably linked to the security of Europe as a whole. I am convinced that today's meeting will bring concrete benefits for the further development of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, as well as further strengthen support for the Euro-Atlantic path of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stated Minister Helez.