Minister Vengu meetings in Brussels with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, NATO’s General Secretary and counterparts from allied countries

 

During the NATO Ministerial in Brussels, Defence Minister Pirro Vengu held several meetings with his counterparts from the U.S., France, Italy, Croatia, and Hungary. The main focus of the discussions was on strengthening military cooperation, strategically addressing our region's needs, and advancing joint projects in the defense industry as well as the modernization of the Armed Forces.

A special meeting was held with the new U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to whom Minister Vengu offered his congratulations on his new role. The two agreed to maintain high-level engagement to pursue shared objectives.

During the ministerial, Minister Vengu also met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, whom he commended for his leadership in guiding the Euro-Atlantic Alliance through these challenging times. In talks with the French Defence Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, the two coordinated several steps toward the modernization of the Armed Forces, aiming to implement projects as quickly as possible.

With Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić, Minister Vengu agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations, focusing especially on cooperation in Kosovo and security in the Adriatic-Ionian region. Minister Vengu also invited Minister Anušić to visit Tirana.

In his meeting with Italy’s Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, Minister Vengu discussed the progress of projects aimed at transforming military capabilities across land, air, and sea domains. “I’m confident that we will soon see substantial results, particularly in the maritime domain. We also agree on enhancing exercises, training, and education.” - said Minister Vengu.

Finally, Minister Vengu had a productive conversation with Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the defense industry, medical education, and the exchange of security and defense experiences.