In the context of the Alliance’s efforts to defend and secure the Atlantic Alliance territory, Albania is fully committed to contributing to NATO’s initiatives. Specifically, in the fundamental aspects of Deterrence and Defence, Albania is actively involved in strengthening collective defence, marking one of the most significant efforts since the Cold War. This commitment is demonstrated through the implementation of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in the East.

Presently, Albanian troops are part of the thousands of NATO forces engaged in operations and missions across the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Kosovo. Albania is also actively involved in boosting the readiness of allied forces and modernizing the military command structure. Furthermore, leveraging its geographical position and as an initial member of the Global Coalition against the so-called “Islamic State,” Albania strongly supports NATO’s heightened role in counterterrorism efforts and in maintaining stability within and around the Euro-Atlantic region.

In terms of obligations stemming from collective decision-making within NATO, Albania gives priority to increasing the defence budget by thus being among those NATO member states that are already spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence capabilities. This is aimed at supporting the necessity for a fair distribution of the financial burden among allies, aligned with NATO’s primary mission of collectively defending the population and territory of the Atlantic Alliance. The increased investments in defence not only contribute to the new capabilities of allied forces but also enhance readiness and augment contributions to NATO missions and operations.