Mr. Minister.
Thanks to that. Thank you for becoming with us (inaudible) soldiers. And it was (inaudible).
FOREIGN RESSORTCHEF (UMGANGSSPRACHLICH) KACER: Thanks very much. It’s a good honor and pleasure to satisfy here at the margins of the NATO ministerial. This really is my first NATO ministerial, although I have spent the majority of my life, professional life, almost all of my professional life upon NATO agenda, and I have got very good memories for that time period when we were trying to get membership.
Lots to talk about in a brief period of time; we’re both, I know, extremely pleased as well to be together because colleagues at NATO.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Properly, good afternoon, everyone. It’s a pleasure to get a chance to meet with Foreign Minister Kacer in his new capacity, but we’re longtime associates and colleagues. All of us go back many years, including for your time in the United States as charge there, or all of the remarkable work you’ve done more than many years on NATO-related problems.
Now considering Ukraine, it is claiming their own ambition. What was the effort behind it? The number of years this was while we were handing over the instrument of ratification, treasury (inaudible)? So we have a lot of (inaudible).
And I wish to thank you for the support of the United States for freedom and democracy in Slovakia, in Europe (inaudible) extremely important. Without having you, the process – all the process would be much more difficult. And now I think we all see that it made excellent sense. Probably we wouldn’t have expected period ago that Russia might do what they did, which they would break everything, that they would crush all that which was dear in the relationship amongst states. But now we all see that what we invested in mutual security, now it brings fruits. And we can jointly help Ukraine fight for their own freedom and sovereignty. And it’s not only morally right to do, yet I think the only bearable strategic choice.
So it’s really good to have a chance to in fact meet in person, and also to communicate the gratitude of the United States for the strong partnership that we have with Slovakia that’s been demonstrated extremely powerfully in our common attempts to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian aggression, to support the Ukrainians, to strengthen our own Alliance here at NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION, and to stand up for the ideals and interests that we share. I also very much appreciate the work that Slovakia has done on energy in particular, plus helping Ukraine make sure that it offers what it needs to help it through the winter.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you.
