site.btaAnnual Meeting of SEDM Deputy Chiefs of Defence Highlights Regional Cooperation in Security, Defence

Since its inception, the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) process has been an important regional initiative that has successfully promoted peace and mutual understanding based on shared values, Bulgaria’s Deputy Defence Minister Radostin Iliev was quoted as saying by his Ministry on Wednesday. Iliev spoke at the opening of an annual meeting of the Deputy Chiefs of Defence/General Staff from the SEDM member states in Sofia. 

“I believe today’s discussions will contribute to our collective efforts to build a better future for the region,” Iliev added.

He noted that the emerging threats facing the world demand a stronger commitment to regional cooperation in order to respond to security issues together. “I am confident that the SEDM initiative will continue to deepen our synergy and trust in the years to come, helping us effectively address the challenges we all face,” he added.

The forum, hosted in Sofia for the third time, is chaired by Bulgaria’s Deputy Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Mihail Popov.

“We must seek new ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our defence cooperation, ensuring it brings greater value to regional stability,” Popov said. He noted that addressing challenges requires significant financial, material, and human resources that would strengthen regional partnerships and lead to close collaboration with NATO, the European Union, and other international bodies. “We need to maintain our joint efforts to meet all challenges together and promote regional dialogue at the strategic and military level. This is key to managing both current and future crises,” Lieutenant General Popov said.

Over the two-day meeting, representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkiye, Romania, the United States, Slovenia, Ukraine, Croatia, Montenegro, and the South-Eastern Europe Brigade will review progress made and explore opportunities for advancing the SEDM initiative. Discussions will also be held on regional cooperation in defence and security. Representatives from the SEDM Secretariat and the South-Eastern Europe Brigade will provide updates on activities carried out since the last Deputy Chiefs of Defence/General Staff meeting, which took place in Istanbul in 2024.