DARMSTADT, Germany — Troops from the 1st Armored Division out of Wiesbaden will travel to Bulgaria, Romania and Russia this summer to train with foreign fighters under programs aimed at building better relationships with U.S. allies.

The Army began training with the Russian army last year, when command staff members of the Southern European Task Force went to Moscow, said Bob Purtiman, a U.S. Army Europe spokesman. But this year will be the first in which soldiers on the ground train together.

The training, from May 23 to June 3, will be split between the Solnechnogorsk Training Area near Moscow and Grafenwöhr Training Area in Germany.

The 1st AD will also participate in the largest joint training exercise to date between the U.S. Army and Romanian military, said Maj. Mike Indovina, 1st AD spokesman.

The countries are hammering out the details to build a temporary “life support center” complete with dining facilities and a fitness center to accommodate 1,600 U.S. soldiers arriving at the Babadag Training Area near Constanta next month, Indovina said.

The two-week program, June 14 to Aug. 2, will include combat scenarios and live fire, he said.

About 500 1st AD troops will also travel to the Novo Selo Training Area near Sliven, Bulgaria, to train with the Bulgarian army from June 12 to June 23, Indovina said. It will also include live-fire training, he said.

The Army participates in bilateral training each year to build stronger relationships with allies, Indovina said.