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Ladies and gentlemen , thank you for

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joining us today . General Kundig .

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Thank you , of course , my friend for

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this introduction and thank you for

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your team's hard work organizing this

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event . It's absolutely splendid to be

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here and split one of the most

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beautiful cities in Europe and the

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world . And we thank Croatia for your

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hospitality and for the professionalism

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with which your armed forces have

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organized this excellent event . So

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thank you . Thank you also to

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Croatia for your strong leadership and

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your example inside our alliance , your

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support for Ukraine is matched only by

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the speed and scope of your own

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modernization . We are grateful for

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both . First , I'd like to recognize

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the distinguished leaders attending

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from 10 Central European nations given

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today's environment . It's more

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important than ever that we all meet

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regularly to strengthen our

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co-operation . Venues like this one ,

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provide a forum to share ideas and to

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continue our strategic dialogue , which

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is always aimed toward a free and

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prosperous Europe . I'd also like to

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recognize the Adjutant generals and

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senior enlisted leaders from us

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National Guard organizations who are

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attending today . We thank these

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leaders for the United States State

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Partnership Program which pairs a

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US state's National Guard with the

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nation's armed forces to create not

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just military , to military but also

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people to people contacts that endure

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for years and years . In this case , 30

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years , it's a remarkable program . We

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thank them for this state partnership

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program . And the enduring

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relationships formed between our

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nations are a vital part of European

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security . Now ,

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European security is important today ,

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Russia's brutal , unprovoked

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illegal invasion of Ukraine has

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fundamentally changed our security

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landscape . Nato's response has been

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historic . We have increased defense

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spending , we have increased our force

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posture and we have begun the wholesale

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reorganization of our

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alliance to bring it from focusing

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on out of area operations . Now

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to focus on collective territorial

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defense . This important transition

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will secure the nations of our alliance

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now and into the future . It is a great

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privilege to be here to discuss that

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transformation with my fellow general

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officers today . And it's always a

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splendid opportunity to be in Croatia

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on your beautiful Adriatic coast .

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Thank you very much .