The US command announced that two US military aircraft will fly over several countries in southeastern Europe on Monday, in another show of force to underscore the United States’ “commitment” to NATO members amid the war in Ukraine.
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The military said in a statement that Britain-based B-52 Stratofortress bombers on Monday afternoon “will conduct low-level flights in southeastern Europe.”
From 12:35 GMT, the planes will pass over the North Macedonian capital of Skopje and then Skanderbeg Square in the heart of the Albanian capital, Tirana. They will then follow the Montenegrin coast and finally fly over the Croatian city of Dubrovnik around 1:10 PM GMT.
“The purpose of each flight is to demonstrate the commitment and affirmation of the United States to NATO allies and partners located in Southeast Europe,” according to the Air Force, as the war in Ukraine enters its seventh month with little hope of peace.
For NATO, the Russian invasion of its neighbor at the end of February led to an expansion with the upcoming accession of Sweden and Finland, which had abandoned their traditional neutrality.
Their candidacy for the NATO membership process has already been endorsed by the United States and more than half of NATO’s 30 members.
US President Joe Biden has made restoring transatlantic relations, which were mistreated by his predecessor Donald Trump, a priority in his foreign policy. He recently said that NATO is part of the “security foundations” of the United States.
In June, two F35 fighter jets flew over the Baltic states, where NATO strengthened its presence on the ground.
