Bosnia's Defence Minister Zukan Helez and his deputies met with senior officers of the US European Command and the Office of the Secretary of Defence, stressing that the US is Bosnia's crucial foreign-policy ally as well as the country's true friend.

Minister Helez thanked for the visit and announced a NATO event that will take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina in April – the Partnership Coordination Conference.

“I thanked the US for the assistance it provides to the Armed Forces of BiH, but also for the overall assistance for our country. I commended the good cooperation with US Military Attaché Eric Adams and the National Guard of Maryland,” he said.

The minister also informed the US delegation about the ministry's plans and priorities for the upcoming period, primarily about the process of budget adoption and appointment of new Armed Forces’ officers.

“I informed out friends that the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country has no alternative. The road of our country to the EU and NATO permanently secures the peace, stability and economic prosperity,” he stressed.

Helez also informed the US delegation about the failure to implement the 2017 decision of the Presidency of BiH on the modernisation of the Armed Forces due to the blockade of the Serb-majority entity Republika Srpska.

For that reason, the minister added, he asked the US officials for a donation. “Our country needs defence weapon, we have never attacked anyone nor we plan to,” he said.

The US Embassy also posted about the visit of the military delegation, noting that they underscored “unwavering commitment to supporting BiH's territorial integrity and sovereignty as well as the country's path to Euro-Atlantic integration.”