On October 29, 2024, senior U.S. and Croatian defense officials gathered at the Pentagon for the U.S.-Croatia Bilateral Defense Consultations (BDC) to discuss a range of security priorities. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, Ms. Lisa Sawyer, and Ms. Nikolina Volf, Deputy Director of Policy at the Croatian Ministry of Defense. Representatives from Croatia’s Ministry of Defense, General Staff, the U.S. Joint Staff, U.S. European Command, Minnesota National Guard, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the Department of State participated.
Key topics included support for Ukraine, defense modernization, and joint exercises and training to enhance military collaboration. Discussions highlighted Croatia’s role within NATO, particularly through its commitment to field a Heavy Brigade to meet Alliance capability standards and infrastructure development at Croatian training ranges and ports. The U.S. expressed appreciation for Croatia’s contributions to NATO and reaffirmed support for the EU-facilitated Dialogue as a means of ensuring long-term stability in the Western Balkans.–News Desk