Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Šefik Džaferović

President Džaferović,

Welcome to NATO Headquarters, it's great to see you here. And it is really a pleasure to welcome you because Bosnia and Herzegovina is a valued partner for NATO.

We strongly support your sovereignty and territorial integrity.
And remain committed to your Euro-Atlantic aspirations, for the benefit of all your people.
NATO is a steadfast supporter of peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and across the Western Balkans.

Our political dialogue and practical cooperation are more important than ever, with Russia's brutal war against Ukraine and its malign influence across the region.

So NATO will do even more to stand with our partners.
We have just had a very constructive discussion on how we can further deepen our cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This could include developing a new defence capacity-building package.

Enhancing our cooperation on small arms and light weapons, counter-terrorism, crisis management and cyber security.

Reinforcing our Headquarters in Sarajevo with more personnel and financial resources.

And supporting expert team visits and counter-disinformation efforts.

By stepping up both our political and practical support, we can help build resilience and prevent any future aggression.

Any further assistance would be tailored, demand driven, and fully coordinated with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We also discussed NATO's role in Operation ALTHEA.
Our cooperation with the European Union on this remains essential.
And we will continue to support this important EU operation.

We also addressed the importance of unified structures of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Including the armed forces, one of the country's strongest multi-ethnic institutions.

These institutions are absolutely vital for the stability of your country.
And they must be preserved.

I urge all sides to stop divisive rhetoric and take concrete steps towards reconciliation.

So President, thank you again for being here today.
You will now participate in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with all the 30 Allies.
And that will provide you to continue the discussion on how to further strengthen the partnership between Bosnia and Herzegovina and NATO.

A further demonstration of how important our dialogue and cooperation are with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So once again, welcome. Please, you have the floor.

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