WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis welcomed
Albanian Defense Minister Olta Xhacka to the Pentagon today to reaffirm the
strong defense relationship between the United States and Albania, chief
Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said.
Significant Contributions
In a statement summarizing the meeting between the two
defense leaders, White said Mattis praised the significant contributions
Albania has made to global and coalition operations, including nearly 300
personnel serving in four major NATO operations.
“He thanked Minister Xhacka for Albania’s strong leadership
in the Western Balkans,” White said, “and for its efforts to counter Russian
malign influence in the region.”
Mattis praised Albania’s recent increase in defense spending
and its plan to meet the pledge alliance nations made at NATO’s 2014 summit in
Wales to spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense by
2024.
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