NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Prime Minister Janez Janša for Slovenia’s solidarity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in a call on Thursday (14 May 2020). Mr. Stoltenberg also expressed appreciation for Slovenia’s continued contributions to NATO, including the deployment of Slovenian troops in Kosovo.
Slovenia has given assistance to help NATO Allies and partners deal with the pandemic, including medical protective equipment for North Macedonia, and other supplies for Bosnia and Herzegovina. NATO Allies have also met Slovenia’s request for assistance in transporting protective and medical equipment.
Mr. Stoltenberg underlined that the COVID-19 crisis demonstrates that Allies must enhance their ability to deal with strategic shocks, including by implementing NATO’s updated baseline resilience requirements. Allies also remain vigilant about disinformation, propaganda, and cyber challenges.
In their phone conversation, the two leaders also touched upon the security situation in the Western Balkans and the importance of strong cooperation between NATO and the European Union.