In November 2002, Bulgaria was invited to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the country will join in 2004. Bulgaria's military is currently undergoing an ambitious restructuring program aimed to bring the army up to NATO standards.

Bulgaria also has played an important role in resolving recent interethnic disputes within the Balkan Peninsula. Small contingents of Bulgarian troops are currently deployed with international forces serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, as well as Afghanistan. A Bulgarian battalion is currently deployed in Iraq as part of U.S.-led coalition forces there.