Washington, DC…Defense Secretary James N. Mattis reaffirmed the “unbreakable trans-Atlantic bond” between the United States and Europe and underscored the enduring U.S. commitment to peace and prosperity on the continent during the U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense minister’s meeting in Zagreb, Croatia.

Defense Secretary James N. Mattis speaks at the U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense ministers meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, July 13, 2018. Mattis underscored U.S. support for a free, prosperous and secure Europe during the meeting of the regional bloc. State Department photo

Defense Secretary James N. Mattis speaks at the U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense ministers meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, July 13, 2018. Mattis underscored U.S. support for a free, prosperous and secure Europe during the meeting of the regional bloc. State Department photo
“I’m here today to reinforce America’s commitment to the security and stability of southeast Europe,” Mattis said.

Established in 2003, the U.S.-Adriatic Charter began with the United States, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia as founding members. It expanded to include Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro as members; Kosovo, Serbia and Slovenia are observers.

Mattis said many of those militaries “stand alongside each other shoulder to shoulder” to support critical missions across the globe. Those missions, he said, include NATO‘s regional support; the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan; operations in Kosovo; the enhanced forward presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland; and the coalition effort to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The United States maintains strong state partnership programs with the U.S.-Adriatic Charter members and observers, he added.

Mattis reiterated U.S. support for each nation’s ability to choose its own path on the regional and global stage, whether NATO, the European Union, or both. Further, he reaffirmed U.S. support for NATO’s open-door policy, in which NATO membership is open to any European state in a position to further the principles of the alliance’s founding treaty and contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.

Enduring Commitment to European Peace, Prosperity

Mattis traveled to Croatia following a NATO summit in Brussels, where the secretary joined President Donald J. Trump to reinforce U.S. priorities, including more equitable burden sharing, strengthening the alliance’s deterrence and defense capabilities, and enhancing NATO’s role in fighting terrorism.

In Zagreb, Mattis said he is reaffirming what Vice President Michael R. Pence said during last year’s U.S.-Adriatic Charter summit: that the