The defense ministers of the member countries of the U.S.-Adriatic Charter Initiative held their latest meeting in Tirana today.
The ministers discussed defense and security in the Western Balkans, with a focus on the recent attack in Kosovo.
The Minister of Defense of Albania, Pirro Vengu, who chaired the meeting, also addressed the recent attack in Kosovo, calling it a dangerous threat to regional stability.
“We reviewed a range of hybrid risks and challenges, with particular attention given to the recent criminal attack in Zubin Potok against Kosovo’s critical infrastructure. I take this opportunity to reiterate our solidarity with the state of Kosovo. All countries condemned this attack, which poses a threat to regional security and stability, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” Vengu said.
For Albania’s Defense Minister, given the geopolitical situation, Kosovo must be included in such discussions.
“For us, Kosovo’s membership remains an absolute priority, as well as being more proactive in joint commitments within NATO, specifically in the Alliance’s Advanced Forces in Southeast Europe; the NATO mission to train, assist, and support the Ukrainian forces; the NATO mission in Iraq; and contributions to the EU’s security and defense agenda, such as the ALTHEA mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Vengu added.
Meanwhile, senior U.S. official Celeste Wallander emphasized the importance of new NATO memberships.
“The U.S. continues to support countries that aspire to join NATO. Our commitment to NATO’s open-door policy remains unwavering. We also recognize that North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia bring authoritarian regimes that seek to undermine international norms and destabilize global security. I felt encouraged hearing the discussions today about expanding our cooperation on defense,” Wallander declared.
