F.P. Report
WASHINGTON: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III embarks on an overseas trip Saturday, April 10, to meet with government and military leaders in Israel, Germany, NATO Headquarters in Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Secretary Austin will meet with his counterparts and other senior officials to discuss the importance of international defense relationships, and reinforce the United States’ commitment to deterrence and defense, burden sharing, and enduring trans-Atlantic security.
In Israel, Secretary Austin will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benjamin Gantz, to continue close consultations on shared priorities, and reaffirm the enduring U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership and Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge.
In Germany, Secretary Austin will meet with German Minister of Defence Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Chancellery Foreign and Security Policy Adviser Dr. Jan Hecker, to reinforce the value the United States places on the bilateral defense relationship with one of our closest NATO Allies. Other topics of discussion include combatting the malign influence of our shared strategic rivals, and continued dialogue on U.S. force posture in Germany and elsewhere.
The Secretary will also visit U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Germany to meet with U.S. troops and senior commanders and highlight his vision for security interests in the region.
Secretary Austin will next travel to Belgium, to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on how the Alliance is tackling destabilizing behavior by Russia, a rising China, terrorism, and global challenges such as COVID-19 and climate change.
The trip will conclude with travel to the United Kingdom for a meeting with Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace to reaffirm the continuing importance of U.S.-U.K. defense cooperation to meet global security challenges.
