Djuric: Serbia-Ohio partnership one of the most successful examples of cooperation with the US

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said today, during a meeting with an Ohio National Guard delegation led by Brigadier General Matthew Woodruff, that the 20-year partnership between Serbia and Ohio was one of the most concrete and successful examples of cooperation between Serbia and the United States. Speaking about the security situation in Kosovo, Djuric thanked the United States for its longstanding active engagement in the KFOR mission.

Djuric recalled that this year marked the 20th anniversary of successful cooperation between the Serbian and US armed forces under the State Partnership Program, established in 2006. He stressed that Serbia and the United States had stood on the same side at numerous pivotal moments in history, recalling the Allied Operation Air Bridge, also known as the Halyard Mission, whose 82nd anniversary will be commemorated this Saturday, with a delegation of the Ohio National Guard also attending.

Speaking about current relations between the two countries, Djuric particularly emphasized the importance of establishing the Serbia-US Strategic Dialogue, describing it as one of the most significant advances in bilateral relations in recent years.

Djuric said that the establishment of the Strategic Dialogue had, for the first time, elevated relations between the two countries to the level of a strategic partnership. He also welcomed US participation in the Specialized Expo 2027 in Belgrade.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stressed that Serbia remained firmly committed to further deepening relations with the United States in the period ahead and to continuing to develop concrete forms of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The US Embassy in Belgrade also commented on the meeting on the social media platform X, stating that Brigadier General Matthew Woodruff and Djuric had reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace and stability in the region, as well as to the enduring partnership between the United States and Serbia.

“This year, we mark 20 years of the Ohio National Guard-Serbia State Partnership Program—two decades of enhanced military cooperation, joint training, and collaboration on regional security,” the Embassy stated in its post on X.
The US Embassy stressed that the meeting between Woodruff and Djuric had reaffirmed the two countries’ shared commitment to peace and stability in the region, as well as to their enduring partnership.