Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
Department of Defense Spokesman Maj. Charlie Dietz provided a readout of the U.S.-Slovakia High Level Defense Group meeting that took place on April 23, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Lisa Sawyer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, and Mr. Igor Melicher, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence for the Slovak Republic, in Bratislava, Slovakia.
During the meeting, various topics related to the global security environment were discussed. This included issues such as countering Russian aggression in Ukraine, the influence of the People's Republic of China in Europe, stability in the Taiwan Strait, and ongoing instability in the Middle East. There was a shared commitment among the leaders present to strengthen the NATO Alliance in preparation for the 75th-anniversary NATO Summit in Washington, D.C.
DASD Sawyer commended Slovakia on its 20th anniversary as a NATO Ally and its dedication to exceeding defense spending targets. She also praised Slovakia's efforts in contributing to the security of NATO's Eastern Flank. Slovak defense officials reiterated their commitment to various security cooperation priorities, including military modernization, joint exercises, training programs, military engagements, technical cooperation, global security contributions, and Slovakia's State Partnership Program with the Indiana National Guard.
