Armenian-American Military Cooperation Actively Develops: Pentagon

Armenian-American military cooperation is actively developing, stated Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, while addressing the Armenian military during a celebration at the Armenian Embassy in Washington. “The actively evolving cooperation is generating real enthusiasm between our Armed Forces. It is an honor for us to welcome students from Armenia by providing them military education. This year we also plan to develop cooperation with the National Defense Research University of Armenia and continue educating current and future leaders of the Armenian Armed Forces,” she said.

According to Voice of America, Cooper emphasized that the expanding partnership between Armenia and the state of Kansas serves as the foundation for bilateral cooperation in the defense sector. “The ongoing program with Kansas allows us to enhance the operational capabilities of Armenia and NATO and facilitate defense sector reforms in Armenia,” she noted.

Armenia's Ambassador to the U.S., Varuzhan Nersesyan, also spoke about the Armenian-American military partnership, highlighting that cooperation is proceeding both bilaterally and multilaterally. “The strategic dialogue initiated between Armenia and the United States last year provides a platform for comprehensive negotiations, including in the field of military-political partnership,” he added.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Defense, I would like to specifically mention Armenia's selfless contribution to maintaining stability and security beyond its borders. 120 Armenian soldiers in Afghanistan are providing security in Mazar-i-Sharif, contributing to the mission of bringing peace and security to the people of Afghanistan. In Kosovo, 41 Armenian servicemen are making significant contributions to maintaining stability and security in the Western Balkans as part of NATO forces,” he noted.

The Armenian peacekeeping forces operate in various parts of the world, as pointed out by Colonel Arman Mkrtchyan, the military attaché of the Armenian Embassy in the U.S. “Our cooperation with allies and partners, especially with the U.S. and Russia within NATO and CSTO, continues to play a crucial role in internal defense reforms and our defense strategy,” he stated.