The defense ministers of Armenia and the U.S. (Suren Papikyan, Lloyd Austin) met in the Pentagon on December 5 and discussed defense sector cooperation.

Papikyan, according to his office, noted priority areas of cooperation, which are aimed at both the implementation of the transformation of Armenia’s Armed Forces and increasing the level of interoperability with the U.S. Armed Forces: military education, combat training, exercises in preparation for participation in international peacekeeping missions, development of professional sergeant and instructor institutes, and the creation of educational and training capabilities of the Armenian military.

Secretary Austin expressed his country’s readiness to continue supporting such reforms.