Skopje, 29 June 2022 (MIA) – President Stevo Pendarovski met Wednesday with the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, as part of the NATO Summit in Madrid, for talks on bilateral cooperation between North Macedonia and Germany in the political-security and defense areas, as well as on the Macedonian European integration. Interlocutors assessed the relations between the two countries as friendly, full of trust and mutual respect. President Pendarovski expressed gratitude for the strong and significant support from Germany for our European integration and start of accession negotiations with the EU, his office said in a press release. Talks also focused on the security and stability of the Western Balkan countries in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Pendarovski emphasized Macedonia’s position on Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, reaffirming its strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Interlocutors also discussed the NATO enlargement process, with President Pendarovski emphasizing that North Macedonia is strongly committed to the Alliance’s open door policy, and that Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership will further strengthen the Alliance’s security. dk/nn/