Adriatic-Ionian states agree to explore common defense shield

Ministers from Greece, Albania, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, and Slovenia adopted a joint statement under the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, emphasizing new cooperation forms with a focus on a common defense shield. The initiative signals a regional push toward integrated air and missile defense, likely in response to heightened security concerns in the Mediterranean and Balkans. Details on scope, funding, and timeline remain unspecified, and the statement is a political commitment rather than a binding agreement.