Doorstep statement

Thank you so much Prime Minister Kovačevski. 

It's a great pleasure to see you again and an honour to be here in Skopje to meet with you but also to meet with other regional leaders of NATO Allies here in this region. 

Let me start by thanking you for your leadership, your personal commitment to NATO, to the transatlantic Alliance, and also commend North Macedonia for being a successful country in so many different ways including by being a successful multi-ethnic society demonstrating to the region but also to the wider world that people with different background can live together in a peaceful way. 

North Macedonia is a highly valued Ally, and that is demonstrated not least by the fact that we convened this summit of NATO leaders here today. 

I look forward to discussing regional security with the leaders but also to address some of the challenges we face beyond this region. 

We see more global competition, great power competition, the war in Ukraine rages on. 

There is a new war in the Middle East. I welcome the agreement between Hamas and Israel. That should lead to the release of hostages and pausing the hostilities and enable the delivery of humanitarian aid. 

But again, it's good to be in Skopje, I look forward to meet all the other leaders and thank you so much for your strong commitment to our Alliance.