SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Well, Madam Minister, it's great to welcome you back to the Pentagon. Since your country joined NATO three years ago, our bilateral relationship has grown even stronger. North Macedonia has long been a great friend to the United States and both our interests and our values drive us to pursue a Europe that is free, whole and at peace.

As Russia continues to wage its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, I am truly grateful for North Macedonia's work to support the Ukrainian people in their time of need. The Army of the Republic of North Macedonia also contributes to NATO vigilance activities on the alliance's eastern flank, as well as to the KFOR mission. With the NATO Summit in Vilnius coming up in July, I look forward to discussing our other shared defense priorities.

Now, we're not just proud NATO allies, we also have a long and strong bilateral defense relationship. Today, I'm proud that we will jointly sign the United States-Republic of North Macedonia roadmap for defense cooperation. Now, this roadmap lays out our goals for a bilateral defense relationship over the next 10 years and it shows ways that we can work together on modernization and focus our security cooperation to work to address today's global threat environment.

So Madam Minister, I look forward to a great conversation today, and again, we are delighted to have you here at the Pentagon.

DEFENSE MINISTER SLAVJANKA PETROVSKA: Well, thank you very much, Secretary of Defense Mr. Austin. I'm glad that today, I have the opportunity to meet you. It's my pleasure to be in Washington, in the Pentagon, to discuss all of the items that we have on our table.

But first, at the beginning, let me express my gratitude and my honor to be here but also for the support that the United States of America has given to North Macedonia throughout the years.

Several years ago, my country was suffering and struggling with an internal security crisis. Today, several years later, we are a member state of NATO. We are going together with the United States and with the other alliances shoulder-to-shoulder in our fight, in meeting all the challenges that we are having and we are sharing, and we are doing quite well with that.

Last year, the United States of America gave huge support to North Macedonia. It was financial assistance, but throughout these years, the assistance that we are receiving from your side is very precious. It's not just about the financial assistance, it's the assistance that we are getting throughout different kind of exercises, knowledge, experience, and transfer of knowledge of course. We are grateful for that, and North Macedonia as a country, we are proud, that day-to-day, we can contribute to the peace mission that NATO and all the alliances are conducting, including in the region.

Today, we are proud that, from a country that was struggling internalli, today, we are contributing to regional peace and security and prosperity.

Of course, it's my pleasure once again to be here to meet you and your team and to share our thoughts and views on the topics which are important these days for the security in the world.

On the subject of Ukraine, from the very beginning, North Macedonia condemned the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Russia to Ukraine. We are supporting not just politically but throughout the numbers of military donations that we have delivered so far and we will continue to do that as far as we can.

Thank you.

SEC. AUSTIN: Welcome, Madam Minister. We're delighted to have you. Thanks, everybody.