On April 23, 2024, Ms. Lisa Sawyer, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, co-chaired the U.S.-Slovakia High Level Defense Group (HLDG) with Mr. Igor Melicher, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence for the Slovak Republic, at the Slovak Ministry of Defence in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Participants discussed the global security environment, including countering Russian aggression in Ukraine, the People's Republic of China's influence in Europe, stability in the Taiwan Strait, and ongoing instability in the Middle East. Leaders shared their commitment to strengthening the NATO Alliance ahead of the 75th anniversary NATO Summit July 9 – 11 in Washington, D.C. DASD Sawyer applauded Slovakia's 20th anniversary as a NATO Ally, its commitment to exceed defense spending targets, and its efforts to contribute to the security of NATO's Eastern Flank. Slovak defense officials affirmed their commitment to bilateral security cooperation priorities to include military modernization, exercises, English language and other training, military-to-military engagements, technical cooperation, contributions to global security, and Slovakia's longstanding State Partnership Program with the Indiana National Guard.
