On Nov. 21, U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim (second from right) met with Brig. Gen. Arben Kingji (second from left), in his new capacity as chief of defense of Albania, to strengthen U.S.-Albania defense relations during the 100-year anniversary of relations between both nations. They agreed to increase cooperation following the historic Defender Europe 2021 exercise, and in preparation for the upcoming Defender Europe 2023 exercises. They noted the positive impact of the new U.S. Special Operations Command forward-based headquarters in Albania and the recent presence of the U.S. Army Security Force Assistance Brigade. The leaders also discussed the response to recent flooding that devastated northern Albania, with Kingji expressing appreciation for American contributions of training, equipment, and supplies. Photo by Antonio Cakshiri.
