Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met with Minister of Defense Nyamaa Enkhbold of Mongolia to discuss Mongolia's and the United States' shared commitment to democratic principles and a free and open Indo-Pacific. Secretary Esper thanked Minister Enkhbold for Mongolia's commitment to exporting security, including Mongolia's continued contributions to coalition efforts in Afghanistan and UN peacekeeping operations in Africa.
Secretary Esper noted the close defense and security ties between Mongolia and the United States under the third neighbor framework, and expressed a strong desire for continued bilateral capacity building in peacekeeping, air mobility, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Both Secretary Esper and Minister Enkhbold agreed that these efforts benefit Mongolia and the United States, and help ensure peace and security in the region.