Palmer: The United States is a friend and partner of North Macedonia

The United States is a friend and partner of North Macedonia and remains committed to this relationship and the country’s European integration that includes both a path forward towards NATO and EU, said U.S. Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer.

Over the past two days, Palmer met with President Stevo Pendarovski, FM Nikola Dimitrov, Defense Minister Radmila Shekerinska, VMRO-DPMNE and DUI leaders Hristijan Mickoski and Ali Ahmeti, as well as Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Thursday.

“U.S. is a friend and partner of North Macedonia. We are committed to this relationship and we’re committed to North Macedonia’s European integration that includes both a path forward towards NATO, which is clean and clear, and a path forward towards membership in the European Union. We are looking forward to partnering with the authorities in Skopje and partnering with our European friends and allies,” Palmer told reporters after the meeting with Zaev.

He reaffirmed U.S. support for North Macedonia’s European integration and perspective.

“This is something we made clear here in Skopje and we will continue to make it clear with our European partners as well,” said Palmer and added that U.S. ambassadors from the region of the Western Balkans also gathered in Skopje for broad-based, wide-ranging discussion about regional issues.

Discussions with North Macedonia’s top officials focused on recent developments in North Macedonia, Brussels, the region.

“I reaffirmed in all of my conversations in Skopje the importance the United States attaches to the relationship with North Macedonia, the pleasure for the U.S. Senate to approve the instrument of ratification for North Macedonia’s accession to NATO. We are looking forward to this country becoming the 30th member in short order,” noted Palmer.