Remarks

Welcome, good to see you.

Let me just first of all say that I am so honoured to have you here and it is really a great pleasure to see you.

Minister Shekerinska, Radmila, it is a great to have you here for the first time attending a NATO ministerial meeting as an invitee. It is great also to know that I am no longer referring to your country with a very long and difficult name but actually I can call you the Republic of North Macedonia.

This is a great moment for all of us. We really appreciate the progress you have made. And without your commitment, without your leadership of you personally and of your government we would not have been able to be where we are today. Inviting you to this defence ministerial meeting.

I have seen that yesterday the NATO flag was raised at Government buildings in your country, in North Macedonia and I really look forward to the day we can do the same, to have your flag raised here alongside 29 other flags outside the NATO building.

So this is a great day and I really look forward to the day we can have you as a full member. Once the ratification process is finished with all the 29 Allies. So once again welcome, very glad to have you here.