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Dr. Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, hosted Montenegro’s Defense Minister Dragan Krapović at the Pentagon today. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral security cooperation and addressing regional and global security issues.
The discussion included several key participants: Mr. Marko Marković, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense of Montenegro; Mr. Alton Buland, Principal Director for European and NATO Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; Ms. Radmila Perović, Defense Policy Director of Montenegro; Colonel Željko Radulović, Montenegrin Defense Attaché to the U.S.; Lieutenant Colonel Allan Gryskewicz, U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché; along with other representatives from both the Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of Montenegro.
Key topics included support for Ukraine, contributions to global security, joint exercises and training initiatives, and future Bilateral Defense Consultations. Additionally, the longstanding State Partnership Program between Montenegro and the Maine National Guard was highlighted. Montenegrin defense officials also provided updates on their military modernization efforts and shared their perspectives on the security situation in the Western Balkans.
The United States reaffirmed its commitment to a stable and secure Western Balkans, emphasizing its importance for broader Euro-Atlantic security.