Attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Slovak Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak at the Pentagon today to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues.
Secretary Austin started the meeting by congratulating Slovakia on its 20-year anniversary as a member of NATO and thanked Slovakia for its commitment to spending over 2 percent of its Gross Domestic Product on defense. Secretary Austin commended Slovakia's recent investments in procuring modern, NATO-interoperable military equipment, such as F-16 fighter aircraft. The Secretary also praised Slovakia's steadfast commitment and many contributions to the Alliance and efforts to ensure the security of NATO's Eastern Flank during this critical time. Minister Kalinak reaffirmed Slovakia’s commitment to further modernization efforts and continued bilateral military-to-military cooperation with the United States.
Secretary Austin and Minister Kalinak also discussed the importance of countering Russian aggression in Ukraine and of continued Alliance unity. Secretary Austin also highlighted U.S. priorities for the upcoming 75th anniversary NATO Summit in Washington, D.C.