A meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was held at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was represented by the Minister of Defense, Zukan Helez.
Minister Helez emphasized that the best response to separatists in BiH is the strengthening of partnerships and friendships on the international political scene. “On the margins of the meeting, I had the opportunity to speak with United States (U.S.) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom (UK) John Healey, General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and many other high-ranking representatives of NATO member states,” Helez stated.
He particularly highlighted an agreement with Minister Pistorius on the procurement of primary radar for BiH. Additionally, he presented a symbolic gift to Secretary Austin as a token of gratitude for the support the U.S. provides to BiH.
Minister Helez took the opportunity to invite General Cavoli and Minister Healey for official visits to BiH, which both officials accepted. “These meetings are crucial for strengthening our position on the international scene and countering the secessionist aspirations of the authorities of the smaller BiH entity, which are emboldened by the support of Serbia and Aleksandar Vucic’s regime,” Helez warned.
At the meeting of the Contact Group, which gathers representatives from over 50 countries from the democratic world, strong support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression was once again affirmed. Helez stressed that BiH’s presence at such events demonstrates its clear commitment to the international political stage.
The minister also pointed out the irony regarding support for Russia. “A meeting of a group supporting Russia could fit in a small tent, attended by three European dictators: Vladimir Putin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, and Aleksandar Vucic. Milorad Dodik could participate in such a meeting only as a tent singer, which suits him perfectly.”, Klix.ba writes.
