Albanian and Italian defense ministers have agreed to further increase cooperation on security, the Albanian defense ministry said on Tuesday in a statement, Xinhua reported.
Albanian defense minister Olta Xhacka hosted her Italian counterpart Elisabetta Trenta in Albania, saying Italy was one of the most loyal allies of Albania and one of the main supporters of Albania's integration into the European Union (EU).
"This visit is a good opportunity to talk closely about important issues in the field of security and defense. Italy remains one of the closest partners, an historical ally on our way to our integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, as it is on our side on the road to full integration into the European Union," Xhacka said.
During the meeting, Xhacka assured Trenta that Albania fully intended to pursue the pace required for representation in operations, missions and initiatives within NATO.
Xhacka also said that Albanian military troops participated in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan in 2018, and Albanian military ships work to save people in the Aegean Sea.