Secretary Majer in USA: So far this year is the culmination of SVK-U.S. defence cooperation

On his official visit to the United States of America, State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Marian Majer took part in the first meeting of the U.S.-SVK High Level Defense Group (HLDG) in Washington DC, where American and Slovak partners talked about U.S., European and NATO defence policies and the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and they did not miss out on the opportunity to address bilateral defence cooperation and a further deepening of Slovakia's bilateral relationship with the USA.

There's no doubt that the conclusion of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Slovakia and the USA acts as a clear superstructure for longstanding prosperous SVK-U.S. ties, according to State Secretary Majer. “One defining factor of our mutual engagement is Slovakiaʼs ongoing procurement of F-16 fighter jets and UH-60 helicopters. These acquisition programmes, combined with the fact that U.S. troops are serving with the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Slovakia in response to the Russian occupation of Ukraine, are contributing to our already strong historic alliance and commitment to collective defence,” Mr Majer said, noting that Slovakia is considering opening the position of SVK Defence Cooperation Advisor at the Slovak Embassy in Washington DC, with the aim of intensifying the exchanges of information on defence procurement.

Both delegations also praised their existing cooperation on military education, training and cyber defence, which they perceive to be of exceptional added value with great potential for advancing SVK-U.S. defence ties. “Our cooperation with the USA is one of the long-term priorities of SVK defence policy. Forums for consultations like the HLDG provide opportunities to discuss current international security challenges and issues in more detail and I therefore see them as extremely beneficial for our relations,” Mr Majer added.