Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has travelled to Kosovo to visit nearly 300 Irish troops serving on peace duties.
It is the first visit there by an Irish minister since Kosovo declared independence two months ago.
Irish soldiers have been serving in Kosovo for almost a decade.
Since last August, Brigadier General Gerry Hegarty from Ireland has been in charge of a brigade-size force of 1,200 troops from six countries which oversees security around the capital, Pristina.
Minister O'Dea and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dermot Earley will be briefed by the military about the situation on the ground since Kosovo became independent in February.
Mr O'Dea, who will also meet Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuqi, said that Kosovo, as a newly independent small country, has Ireland's support and recognition.
During the visit, Mr O'Dea is expected to state that the Lisbon Treaty will not have any impact on Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality.
The minister is due to visit the Austrian Defence Minister Norbert Darabos in Vienna tomorrow for talks about the involvement of both neutral countries in the EUFOR mission in Chad.
