Skopje, 13 September 2023 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, met Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as part of his working visit to Brussels.

The meeting, said the MFA, focused on current security challenges, as well as NATO’s activities in adapting to the new security reality, tackling the challenges and strengthening defense and deterrence.

A special focus of the talks was the current situation in the Western Balkans, as a region of strategic interest for the Alliance.

“The close coordination and joint activities of NATO and EU in the Western Balkans, as well as the acceleration of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries from the region, represent key tools for the consolidation of regional stability and closing the vacuum for potential destabilizing influences from third parties,” stressed Osmani.

At the same time, Osmani said that North Macedonia, as a credible ally, remains committed to contributing to global peace, collective security and stability in the region. To that end, he touched upon the country’s contribution in NATO missions and battle groups, as well as the commitment to allocate 2 percent of GDP for defense. 

The Ministry said that at the meeting, Osmani and Stoltenberg also spoke about the Russian military aggression on Ukraine, as well as the support provided to the Ukrainian people. “In that context, the significant decisions from the recent NATO Summit in Vilnius, which once again reaffirmed the unity of the Alliance, were highlighted” said the Ministry.

Photo: MFA