The United States on Friday supported Croatia's decision to equip its air forces with the French Rafale fighter jets.

“The U.S. Government supports Croatia’s selection of next-generation fighter aircraft. Aircraft interoperability will make a strong NATO Ally even stronger. Since Croatia’s independence, U.S. assistance to Croatia has reached over 6 billion Kuna. We are committed to our ongoing training relationship as we strengthen our common defense as NATO Allies,” the U.S. Embassy wrote on its Facebook account.

“From Afghanistan to Kosovo, American and Croatian soldiers have served together shoulder-to-shoulder around the globe. The U.S.-Croatia defense partnership is a pillar of our bilateral relations and will endure for generations to come,” says the embassy.

Earlier on Friday, the French government also welcomed Zagreb’s decision to procure 12 used French multipurpose fighter jets Dassault Rafale F3R for €999 million.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said that, after Greece which decided to buy 18 French fighter jets in January, Croatia was the second EU member states to select the offer made by a European country.