# Belgium - United States Department of State

- Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Cormier Smith Visits Belgium and the United Kingdom Office of the SpokespersonSpecial Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Desirée Cormier Smith will travel to Brussels and Oxford April 9-12.In Brussels, the Special Representative will attend the launch of the Roma Foundation for Europe’s forthcoming report, which will detail the situation of Roma communities in Ukraine before Russia&#8217;s unprovoked war of aggression, the integral involvement of Roma persons in Ukraine’s defense during the war, and how to improve their quality of life going forward.  She will also meet with Europe-based Black civil society leaders and EU officials.In Oxford, the Special Representative will attend the Skoll Foundation World Forum, where she will participate in a panel on Reshaping Power for a Shared Future, exploring global trends in different types of power – from narrative to political and economic power – and the approaches that civil society and governments are taking to examine, confront, and reimagine current structures of power to foster more just and inclusive societies for all.The United States is concerned by the marginalization of Roma communities, particularly in Europe.  We remain committed to supporting a more free, fair, and inclusive Europe and advocating for equal rights for Roma individuals as well as for all individuals from marginalized racial or ethnic communities worldwide.To learn more about Special Representative Cormier Smith’s work, follow @US_SRREJ on Twitter.For media inquiries, please contact DRL-Press@state.gov.
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken With European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Before Their Meeting Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateBrussels, BelgiumEuropean Commission HeadquartersMS VON DER LEYEN:  Prime Minister Pashinyan, dear Secretary Blinken, I’m very glad to host this meeting together with the HRVP Josep Borrell here in Berlaymont.  I’m glad to host a meeting in support of Armenia.  We’re delivering on a promise we made last October, the promise to stand shoulder to shoulder by Armenia, with Armenia – and at the same time the promise to set a vision for the future of our partnership.  And this is what we are going to be discussing today.This vision will be underpinned on the European Union side by a resilience and growth plan for Armenia – 270 million euros in grants over the next four years.  We will invest in making the Armenian economy and society more robust and resistant to shocks.  We will support your businesses, your talents, in particular your small and medium enterprises, so that we can help them to grow, to innovate, and to access new markets.And we will invest in key infrastructure projects – for example, in the Black Sea electricity cable that is a transmission route full of opportunities.  It can notably bring clean renewable energy into Europe.  We’re ready to support it.  And in parallel, we will continue investing in Armenia’s renewable energy production and in better interconnections with Georgia.  We will also be exploring cross-border transport if and when conditions allow.  And in this context, I welcome your Crossroads of Peace initiative, Prime Minister.And finally, we come today with new measures for aviation and nuclear safety and for trade diversification.  This support package we’re presenting today builds on the success of an existing economic and investment plan from the European Union for Armenia.  It has already mobilized over half a billion euros in investments.  I think this is great news, and now we can do even more with the fresh investment perspective, and that is why we have recently launched an investment coordination platform so that we can jointly identify new projects, accelerate the pace, and maximize the potential of our investments on the ground.Of course, the European Union will continue to support reforms in Armenia through advice, technical support, and funding.  And in this context, Prime Minister, I want to congratulate you for your efforts to carry out democratic reforms, and this despite the challenges faced.  I also welcome the measures that Armenia has taken against the circumvention of our sanctions against Russia, in particular to make sure that lethal equipment and technologies do not end up in the hands of Russian military.  This shows that the European Union and Armenia are increasingly aligned in values and interests.Now, we’re going to look today at the broader partnership, and let’s take it forward with a new and ambitious partnership agenda between the European Union and Armenia.  This is what we will be discussing in more detail in a moment.To conclude, we’re not forgetting, Prime Minister, about the plight of the displaced Karabakh Armenians.  The humanitarian situation of refugees in Armenia remains a priority.  We have provided over 30 million euros in support of the refugees since last September, and we’re ready to do more to support the long-term integration of refugees.I want to say how happy I am to receive both of you here in the Berlaymont, because Europe and Armenia share a long and common history.  The time has come to write now a new chapter, and I’m very glad, Secretary Blinken, to count on the United States as a committed and likeminded partner in these efforts.  We will continue to work all together for the future of Armenia in a stable and prosperous South Caucasus region.PRIME MINISTER PASHINYAN:  Thank you very much, dear President von der Leyen, dear Secretary Blinken, High Representative Borrell, dear friends.  Thank you for convening this high-level meeting to reaffirm our collective commitment to sovereign, resilient, and prosperous Armenia.  This event underscores Armenia’s commitment to our shared values and a pursuit of more accountable and citizen-centered public institutions that deliver to its people.Today’s high-level dialogue signifies Armenia’s expanded partnership with the United States and the European Union.  Despite facing multiple crisises, Armenia has made significant progress toward issuing democracy.  Expanding on the achieved progress, we will discuss Armenians’ efforts to strengthen the resilience of its democratic institutions.  We firmly believe that the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms underpin our cooperation.  The Republic of Armenia reaffirms its commitment to advances – advancing justice and public sector reforms to build a stronger, more secure, and advanced country.Building on our fruitful political cooperation, it is high time we foster our economic collaboration, promote trade, and look into expanding our partnership in mobility.  We are determined to enhance the competitiveness of the Armenian private sector to expand to new markets.  Further, we stand ready to improve our investment climate and make it more appealing to European and American companies.We expect our partners to assist us in modernizing Armenian’s quality infrastructure, bridge business networks, and explore potential trade facilitation schemes.  Promoting socio-economic inclusion and addressing the short- and long-term needs of more than 100,000 forcibly displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh is also of paramount importance.  Our collective efforts should focus on empowering refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity through housing and economic activation policies.I want to stress that we remain committed to the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan based on mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991.  Armenia is also fully committed to the delimitation of borders based on the Alma-Ata Declaration and unblocking all the regional communications based on full respect for countries’ sovereignty and jurisdiction, and the principles of equality and reciprocity.  To achieve this objective, we have introduced the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which aims to promote connectivity and dialogue with neighboring countries and beyond.  To enhance synergies in the wider region, we seek to integrate our initiative with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and expect the support of our partners in this regard.Madam President, Secretary Blinken, High Representative Borrell, I believe that our shared vision of democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future will continue to serve as the backbone and the guiding star of our mutually trusted relations.  Once again, thank you for fostering this dialogue and for your continued support to the Republic of Armenia.MS VON DER LEYEN:  Thank you very much.SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, Madam President, thank you.  It’s wonderful, as always, to be with you, and thank you for bringing us together.  Prime Minister, it’s so good to see you, and my friend Josep as well; very good to have you here.Prime Minister, I want to start by thanking you for your leadership and also your partnership.  It means a lot, and I think it sets a very strong foundation for what we can do together going into the future.  We are here to reaffirm transatlantic support for a democratic, prosperous future for the Armenian people – and a more integrated and a more peaceful South Caucasus region.  We share the Armenian peoples’ vision for the future.  We want Armenia to take its place as a strong, independent nation at peace with its neighbors, connected to the region and the world.  The United States and the European Union both want to be partners in this effort, and I think today is evidence of that.We have to harness this moment of choice for the Armenian people and for its leaders.  The United States is investing in efforts that are aligned with the prime minister’s governance and economic reforms.  We plan to provide over $65 million in assistance from our FY23 budget funds.  That’s up more than 50 percent from two years ago.  We’re committed to further growing our support for Armenia’s democratic and economic resilience, with investments for food security, digital infrastructure, diversification of energy, diversification of trade partners, and other priorities that the prime minister has set.And we will continue to support the 100,000 ethnic Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.  This is central to Armenia’s long-term stability and prosperity, as well as its regional security.  And we’re supporting efforts to integrate people into the economy, into society, including via access to housing, jobs, education.For Armenia, regional integration is a key to security and to prosperity.  And so we support the ideas, Mr. Prime Minister, that are at the heart of your Crossroads of Peace proposal.  We see a more integrated South Caucasus with new transportation routes, energy cooperation, telecommunications.  This will promote diversified economies, expanded opportunity, and it will bolster peace and reconciliation efforts.  There is a powerful future with a region that is increasingly integrated, that will benefit people in every connected country.  And the United States, the European Union want to help you build that.So we, too, look very much forward to a productive discussion today, and then carrying on from today, doing the work of strengthening this partnership and strengthening Armenia.  Thank you.MR BORRELL:  Thank you.  Madam President, Prime Minister Pashinyan, Secretary Blinken – dear Tony – two month ago here in Brussels, we hold a partnership council with Armenia.  And it was clear that our relations are developing in a positive track, that they are stronger than ever, and that there is a mutual interest to advance them further.  And that’s what we are doing here today.  We are taking this partnership to the next level, together with our American friends, joining forces to demonstrate our strong commitment to Armenia’s sovereignty, democracy, and resilience.We want to join our forces to strength and move our relations forward in all dimensions.  That’s what we agreed with the Foreign Minister Mirzoyan, to take our Armenia-EU partnership agenda in the highest possible level inside the framework of our partnership council.  And this is not just words.  The president of the commission has announced a substantial resilience and growth package for Armenia to underpin this partnership agenda.We know that Armenia has to continue working on the reforms in order to increase their resilience, and these efforts will be part of this comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement.  These will increase the resilience of the Armenian society, and we have seen on the run-up to this meeting – we have seen how Armenia is increasingly targeted by foreign information manipulations and interference.  And part of our commitment is to support you to tackle disinformation and to make people understand which is the right way of doing things, improving media literacy.  Because we believe that a stronger, a more stable Armenia means a stronger, a more stable South Caucasus.  Our work will be on the benefit of all countries in the region.Thank you.MS VON DER LEYEN:  Thank you very much.  May I invite you now to go to the meeting room?SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.MS VON DER LEYEN:  Thank you.
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press																																		Remarks																														April 5, 2024																																							SECRETARY BLINKEN: &nbsp;We received Israel’s report on the terrible killing of the World Central Kitchen team in Gaza a few days ago.&nbsp; We’re reviewing it very carefully.&nbsp; We’ll be discussing its conclusions with Israeli officials and with humanitarian organizations in the days to come.&nbsp;It’s very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for this incident.&nbsp; It’s also important that it appears to be taking steps to hold those responsible accountable.&nbsp; Even more important is making sure that steps are taken going forward to ensure that something like this can never happen again.&nbsp;Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated to President Biden that Israel would be making further changes to its procedures to make sure that those who are providing assistance to people who so desperately need it in Gaza are protected.&nbsp; So we’re going to be looking very carefully at what those steps are, how it achieves better deconfliction, better coordination, so that aid workers are protected.&nbsp;At the same time, as Israel pursues any military operations against Hamas, it has to prioritize the protection of civilians.&nbsp; It has to make that job number one.&nbsp; Too many people have been caught in this crossfire of Hamas’ making – children, women, men losing their lives.&nbsp; Their safety has to be a priority, and military operations need to be designed around their protection, not the other way around.So we’ll be looking at all of this in the days to come.&nbsp; And we’ll be, as I said, assessing fully the report on the World Central Kitchen incident, and we’re looking to see not just what steps are being taken but the results that follow from them.&nbsp;						Tags																					Belgium																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs																								Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration																																Humanitarian Aid																															Israel																																Israel-Hamas Conflict																															Office of the Spokesperson																																Official International Travel																															Palestinian Territories																																Secretary Trip																															The Secretary of State
- Secretary Blinken Officially Launches the Minerals Security Partnership Forum with the European Commission Office of the SpokespersonOn April 5, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, accompanied by Under Secretary Fernandez, hosted an event with the European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to formally launch the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Forum in Leuven, Belgium.  Ministers from MSP partner economies and minerals-producing countries were invited to participate virtually and in person. Additional in-person attendees included Thomas Alweendo, Minister for Mines and Energy of Namibia, Volodymyr Kuzio, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Kanat Sharlapaev, Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan, and Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan.MSP partners first announced the creation of the MSP Forum in March on the margins of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention in Toronto.  The MSP Forum cements the MSP’s partnership with minerals producing countries committed to advancing and accelerating individual projects with high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. The MSP Forum provides a platform for MSP partners and Forum members to consider and advance both projects and policies. Together, they will promote diverse and resilient supply chains while supporting local industry and capacity.The Project component of the MSP Forum, led by the United States, may include project information sharing among MSP partners, Forum members, and the private sector; presentations on critical minerals opportunities, technical collaboration, and more. The Policy Dialogue component of the MSP Forum, led by the EU, may include topics such as policies to boost sustainable production and local capacities; discussions on regulatory cooperation to foster fair competition and transparency; policies to foster application of high ESG standards; and policies to promote and facilitate effective recycling.Learn more about the MSP at: https://www.state.gov/minerals-security-partnership/.For media inquiries, please contact:  E_Communications@state.gov.
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Solo Press Availability HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Solo Press Availability				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Solo Press Availability																																		Remarks																														April 4, 2024																																							SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Well, good evening, everyone.&nbsp; I traveled to Israel in the days immediately following the horrific attacks of October 7th.&nbsp; And I made clear then the commitment of the United States to Israel’s security and to ensuring that October 7th could never happen again. I also underscored Israel’s moral, strategic, and legal requirements to protect civilians and provide humanitarian assistance to those who needed it.Now, of course, what happened after October 7th could have ended immediately if Hamas had stopped hiding behind civilians, released the hostages, and put down its weapons.&nbsp; But Israel is not Hamas.&nbsp; Israel is a democracy; Hamas, a terrorist organization.&nbsp; And democracies place the highest value on human life – every human life.&nbsp; As has been said, whoever saves a life, saves the entire world.&nbsp; That’s our strength.&nbsp; It’s what distinguishes us from terrorists like Hamas.&nbsp; If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront.&nbsp;Here’s the current reality in Gaza.&nbsp; Despite important steps that Israel has taken to allow assistance into Gaza, the results on the ground are woefully insufficient and unacceptable.&nbsp; A hundred percent of the population in Gaza knows acute levels of food insecurity.&nbsp; A hundred percent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance.&nbsp; And those working heroically to provide that assistance are doing so in great peril to their own lives.&nbsp; This week’s horrific attack on the World Central Kitchen was not the first such incident.&nbsp; It must be the last.&nbsp;President Biden spoke a short while ago with Prime Minister Netanyahu.&nbsp; The leaders discussed the situation in Gaza.&nbsp; The President emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.&nbsp; He made clear the need for Israel to announce a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.&nbsp; He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.&nbsp;He underscored as well that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.&nbsp; The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people.&nbsp; President Biden reaffirmed the United States strong support for Israel in the face of these threats and our commitment to Israel’s security.Right now, there is no higher priority in Gaza than protecting civilians, surging humanitarian assistance, and ensuring the security of those who provide it.&nbsp; Israel must meet this moment.&nbsp;Now here in Brussels we marked 75 years to the day since the founding of the NATO Alliance.&nbsp; We had our first ministerial meeting with Sweden at the table, a full Ally.&nbsp; There are now 32 members of the NATO Alliance.&nbsp; And that Alliance has continued to adapt, to meet challenges, to meet threats as they’ve emerged.So while we focused on celebrating the fact that we’ve hit the 75-year mark, we’re intensely focused on the future.&nbsp; We discussed concrete outcomes for the upcoming Washington Summit in July, including increasing our support for Ukraine, strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture, in particular through boosting our defense industrial bases on both sides of the Atlantic, and deepening cooperation with partners, including from the Indo-Pacific.&nbsp;We also held our second NATO-Ukraine Council.&nbsp; We reaffirmed that Ukraine’s future is in NATO.&nbsp; Our goal now is to create a bridge to Ukraine’s full membership, offering additional support and greater cooperation, as Ukraine makes the reforms necessary to join the Alliance.&nbsp;Ukraine has made some remarkable progress in recent months.&nbsp; It pushed Russia’s fleet back from the Black Sea, opening up shipping lanes to get grain to the world, and in fact exports through the Black Sea now equal or exceed exports before the Russian aggression in February of 2022.&nbsp; Ukraine is attracting more and more private investment, and it is valiantly holding ground on the battlefield in the face of an ongoing Russian onslaught.&nbsp;It’s also making progress on governance and security reforms, which we discussed in our meetings today, including boosting resources for its anti-corruption institutions, increasing transparency and accountability for the military assistance that we’re all providing to Ukraine.&nbsp; And I think this progress shows that Ukraine is taking our recommendations – the recommendations of all Allies – seriously, doing the hard work to meet NATO’s high standards.&nbsp;But we also know this: More aid is urgently needed for Ukraine.&nbsp; We heard directly today from Foreign Minister Kuleba every day without further assistance puts Ukraine’s defenders and its civilians in greater peril.&nbsp; Our support is especially important as a number of countries are helping Russia build up its defense industrial base and continue to perpetrate its aggression on Ukraine.&nbsp; China continues to provide materials to support Russia’s defense industrial base.&nbsp; The DPRK and Iran also providing support.&nbsp; And all of this is fueling Putin’s war machine as he attacks Ukrainians and threatens European security.&nbsp;The United States has to do its part.&nbsp; Allies have been stepping up.&nbsp; They’ve been shouldering their share of the responsibility.&nbsp; There was just a few weeks ago announced another 50 billion euros in additional EU funding.&nbsp; They’re making unprecedented investments in their own defense industrial bases, and we have now two-thirds of the Allies who are meeting the Wales Pledge of dedicating two percent of GDP to defense.&nbsp; So more than ever, we have genuine burden sharing among the Allies.&nbsp; And in the 30 or so years that I’ve been engaged in these issues, this is probably the best example of burden sharing that I’ve seen.&nbsp;The United States has made tremendous contributions ourselves, but it is imperative that Congress pass the supplementary budget request that President Biden’s made.&nbsp; I know that Speaker Johnson committed to bring the supplemental to a vote swiftly.&nbsp; The message from Brussels is clear: That vote cannot happen soon enough.&nbsp;I also heard this from Ally after Ally: Our commitment, our engagement is indispensable for this Alliance.&nbsp; I also heard the profound impact it would have on global security if U.S. – the United States were in any way to back away from its commitments.&nbsp; I agree with that, and that’s also a message that I intend to take back with me to the United States and to our Congress.&nbsp;A lot more was discussed at these meetings over the last couple of days.&nbsp; I’m happy to get into any of those issues, but in the interest of time, let me turn to your questions.MR PATEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll first go to Courtney McBride with Bloomberg.&nbsp;QUESTION:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; Good afternoon, Mr. Secretary.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Hi, Courtney.QUESTION:&nbsp; How viable is the proposal for a five-year, $100 billion NATO fund to aid Ukraine and for greater Alliance involvement in coordinating weapons deliveries to Kyiv?&nbsp; And is the U.S. willing to – able to contribute fresh money to that if it is a viable option?&nbsp; And then beyond that, is the U.S. among the Allies who have committed further searching their own stocks for additional air defenses for Ukraine?&nbsp;And you just mentioned that U.S. policy on Gaza will be determined by Israel’s actions in response to these concrete steps you’re seeking.&nbsp; Can you clarify what sort of U.S. policy changes we might be looking at?&nbsp; Thank you.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks, Courtney.&nbsp; So first, in terms of funding for Ukraine, the most important, the most urgent thing is getting the supplemental passed.&nbsp; That would be the most immediate and most important source of the additional funds that Ukraine needs to help it continue to protect itself against the Russian aggression.&nbsp;Beyond that, we are, of course, talking to our NATO Allies and partners about what they’re doing, what we can do, what the Alliance can do to make sure that Ukraine has the resources it needs – both in the immediate to address the critical situation now, but also going forward.&nbsp; Because while we’re working to address these immediate concerns, we’re also working together to build out Ukraine’s force for the future, a force that deter aggression and defend against it if it has to.&nbsp;More than 30 countries now have signed or are in the process negotiating and signing bilateral agreements with Ukraine.&nbsp; And we’re, ourselves – the United States – working on our own bilateral agreement.&nbsp; But we’re also looking at the role that NATO can and should play over time in supporting Ukraine.&nbsp; And this is an ongoing discussion that we’ll have in the weeks ahead, and I imagine that you’ll see something at the summit when we come together in Washington in July.&nbsp;In terms of stocks of equipment, supplies, yeah, we – one of the things we talked about today was everyone going back and taking an immediate and hard look at what can be made available.&nbsp; We know what the needs are: air defenses, artillery, munitions.&nbsp; So I believe, based on what I heard today, that everyone, including the United States, is going to double-back and as necessary double-down on finding the resources that Ukraine continues to need.&nbsp;And with regards to our policy in Gaza, look, I’ll just say this: If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there’ll be changes in our own policy.&nbsp;MR PATEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll next go to Mattia Bagnoli from ANSA.QUESTION:&nbsp; Mr. Secretary, thank you.&nbsp; Mattia Bagnoli, ANSA, the national Italian news agency.&nbsp; A little bit of follow-up on the funding issue.&nbsp; Do you fear that what we see now with the supplement, that it is blocked in the Congress, could also happen to this fund proposed by the secretary general?&nbsp; So is something that you could see happening down the line?And secondly, if I may, we know that during the ministerial you discussed also the future relationship with Russia.&nbsp; Can the West still do business with Moscow, so to speak, with Putin at the Kremlin?&nbsp; Or a new face is a prerequisite for a possible reset?&nbsp; Thank you.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Thanks.&nbsp; Second part of the question first.&nbsp; Look, with any country we’re focused on policies, not personalities.&nbsp; What we’re looking to see is what are Russia’s policies.&nbsp; And unfortunately, tragically, horrifically, the policy at present is the ongoing aggression against Ukraine and the tremendous suffering that’s bringing to Ukrainians, and the threat that that continues to pose not only to Ukraine, but to the very principles at the heart of the international system that countries rely on so that countries can’t simply go in and try to change the territory and borders of another country by force or determine the future of that country.&nbsp;Because we know if we leave that unchecked, then would-be aggressors everywhere will draw their own conclusions, and that makes for a world that’s even more violent, unstable, and full of conflict.&nbsp; So what we’re focused on is what Russia is doing, and as I said, it continues to pursue this aggression against Ukraine.Again, with regard to funding, there are two things that I think are important.&nbsp; One, the immediate needs that Ukraine has to continue to resist effectively the aggression.&nbsp; That’s where our supplemental comes in; that’s where the assistance that the European Union announced is so critical.&nbsp;But we’re also looking for ways to make sure that we can help Ukraine, in the mid-term and the long term, develop a strong deterrent force, a strong defensive force, a strong force for the future – one that will require from us, all of us, far fewer resources than we’ve had to dedicate to Ukraine just in these past couple of years because of the urgency of the situation, but that will help Ukraine develop the military it needs for the future.&nbsp; And as you look at it, we’re on a trajectory in the mid-to-long term where Ukraine will be able to stand very strongly on its own two feet militarily, economically, and democratically.&nbsp;The agreements, as I said, that individual countries are reaching with Ukraine on military cooperation and support, as well as the work that NATO will do – and more to come on that at the summit – that’s going to make sure that the military leg is strong.&nbsp; We are driving private sector investment to Ukraine.&nbsp; There is tremendous both opportunity and potential there, including having a strong defense industrial base in Ukraine that will help Ukraine and also help other countries.&nbsp; And finally, given the process that the EU started on accession, that will continue to drive Ukraine’s efforts to deepen its democracy.And so the future and the best possible rebuke to Vladimir Putin is a strong, successful Ukraine.&nbsp; And we’re on a path to get there.&nbsp; But we have to make sure that Ukraine gets through the coming months and the coming period of time in the face of this aggression.&nbsp; And that’s why the funds, including in the supplemental, are so urgent.MR PATEL:&nbsp; We’ll next go to Shannon Crawford with ABC.QUESTION:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; A couple questions on Gaza.&nbsp; Well, first of all, you said the President called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.&nbsp; Is the administration no longer linking a ceasefire to the release of hostages?&nbsp; And in telling the Israeli prime minister that he needs to empower negotiators to secure a deal, are you saying the administration sees Israel as a problem on that front?&nbsp; And then you said the administration will rethink its approach to Israel if it doesn’t see immediate action to address the humanitarian concerns in Gaza.&nbsp; What is immediate action, really?&nbsp; Is there a timeline here that you’re expecting to see?And I also want to say that we did ask – the press corps traveling with you – asked a couple times in the aftermath of that airstrike on the convoy that killed seven aid workers, including an American – we asked you about that, and you expressed grief, but you didn’t express outrage.&nbsp; You didn’t condemn the strike, as your French counterpart did at the time.&nbsp; Can you tell me what changed in the last 48 hours or so?SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; First of all, on that – nothing changed.&nbsp; When I saw the news of the strike, I was outraged.&nbsp; And I strongly condemn it.&nbsp; When I spoke to it the other day, others of my colleagues had been out, I was focused on the – the people, the individuals who had lost their lives, given their lives in service of their fellow human beings.&nbsp; That was what was motivating me in those initial comments, because it’s so important that the world understand these are heroes.&nbsp; And what these men and women did – the ones who lost their lives in Gaza, as well as people working for World Central Kitchen around the world in so many places of conflict – is extraordinary and the best of humanity.&nbsp; And I thought it was important as well to put the focus on that, even as the administration spoke clearly about our outrage and our condemnation.&nbsp;So nothing’s changed; I focused on the human beings involved.&nbsp; Our conviction remains that we need to see an immediate ceasefire to enable the release of hostages, but also to enable a dramatic surge in humanitarian assistance, as well as, obviously, better protecting civilians.&nbsp;Now, as I said, the President and the prime minister just spoke, but it’s our expectation that Israel will and certainly should announce concrete, specific, measurable steps that it will take – and take as soon as possible – to make sure that there can be an effective surge in assistance, that it can be sustained, and that humanitarian workers and civilians are better protected.MR PATEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll next go to Nicholas Wallace with DPA.&nbsp;QUESTION:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; The secretary general’s proposal for Ukraine would shift responsibility for combined aid from the U.S.-coordinated Ukraine contact group and to NATO proper.&nbsp; So two questions.&nbsp; First, do you support that proposal?&nbsp; Second, how do you respond to those who say that this is Trump-proofing?&nbsp; Does it bother you that European officials are still talking about American leadership in terms of the former president, and not the one who’s been in power for the last three years and who wants to stay there through another term?&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Thanks.&nbsp; First, what the defense contact group has done is remarkable, and I think the work that Secretary Austin did in establishing the support mechanism for Ukraine, in bringing allies and partners together over these many months and coordinating their efforts, has produced extraordinary results.&nbsp; And the question, I think, for us now – and heading toward the summit – is how we not only work but strengthen the work that we’re doing and that NATO is doing in that effort, both to meet Ukraine’s immediate needs and, as I said before, to make sure that it’s helping and we’re all helping Ukraine build the force that it needs for the future, to deter aggression and to defend against it.&nbsp;So these conversations over the last couple of days have been focused on exactly what we’re going to do at the summit.&nbsp; We’ve begun a process among all the countries and with all the experts to flesh that out.&nbsp; We’ll be using the time between now and the summit to do exactly that.&nbsp; I expect we’ll have another meeting of the foreign ministers in Prague at the end of May.&nbsp; We look forward to a lot of work being done to design and detail exactly what the different roles are going to be going forward.And as to the second part of your question, look, all I can tell you is this:&nbsp; We’re focused on the here and now, and what I heard again and again and again was the indispensability of U.S. leadership and U.S. engagement.&nbsp; And we heard that from ally after ally, we’ve heard that from our Ukrainian friends as well, and we know that countries within this Alliance and well beyond the Alliance look to the United States for that engagement, for that leadership.&nbsp; I think we’ve demonstrated it very clearly when it comes to Ukraine and the aggression that Russia committed starting in February of 2022, and we’re determined to continue it.&nbsp; We’re responsible for the here and now.&nbsp; That’s what we’re working on.&nbsp;We also want to make sure that, as an Alliance and as individual countries, we’re putting in place what’s going to be needed, as I said, to help Ukraine over the medium and long term make sure that it can stand on its own feet militarily as well as economically and democratically.&nbsp; So it makes a good deal of sense, especially given our commitment as well that Ukraine will become a member of NATO in the future, to have that bridge on the military side, to make sure that there’s a clear pathway, and with NATO playing the necessary role to help Ukraine do everything it needs to do to become a member of the Alliance.&nbsp; That’s what we’ll be focused on, and you’ll hear a lot more about that between now and the summit.&nbsp;MR PATEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you, everybody.&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp;QUESTION:&nbsp; One question about &#8212;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Thanks, everyone.&nbsp;MR PATEL:&nbsp; Thanks, everybody.QUESTION:&nbsp; Just one question about Kurdish region.MR PATEL:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; We have to – we’re going to wrap for today.&nbsp;QUESTION:&nbsp; On the Kurdish region.&nbsp; There are disagreement between the Kurdish political government in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan regarding the upcoming election in June this year.&nbsp; What do you expect in the upcoming election in Iraqi Kurdistan?&nbsp; What is the – your message for Iraqi and all political parties in Iraqi Regional Kurdistan?&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Well, we want to see – we want to see elections go forward, we want to see everyone participate in those elections, and we want to make sure that people feel that they are well represented.&nbsp; And it’s also vitally important that the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil move forward in a positive and productive way for all the people of Iraq, including the Kurdish region.&nbsp; And we’re very focused on that in our conversations with the government in Baghdad as well as with officials in the KRG.&nbsp; And again, elections I think are an important part of that.&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp;MR PATEL:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp;						Tags																					Belgium																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs																																Conflicts																																							Humanitarian Aid																															Israel																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								Palestinian Territories																																Secretary Trip																															The Secretary of State
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba																																		Readout																														April 4, 2024																																							The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Brussels on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting.&nbsp; The two discussed the situation on the battlefield and Ukraine’s progress – in coordination with Allies and partners – as it pursues its goal of Euro-Atlantic integration.&nbsp; They talked about ways to bolster Ukraine’s energy sector in light of continued attacks from Russia.&nbsp; Secretary Blinken also underlined the urgency of Congressional action to help the Ukrainian people to defend their country and their freedom against Russia’s ongoing brutal aggression.&nbsp;&nbsp;						Tags																					Belgium																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																																Secretary Trip																															The Secretary of State																								Ukraine
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Before Their Meeting HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Before Their Meeting				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Before Their Meeting																																		Remarks																														April 4, 2024																																							SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s very good to be with my friend and colleague Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine.&nbsp; We just came from a session with all NATO Allies and Foreign Minister Kuleba, and I think it’s safe to say that the support for Ukraine, the determination of every country represented here at NATO remains rock solid.&nbsp; We will do everything we can; Allies will do everything that they can to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to continue to deal with Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, an aggression that gets worse with every passing day.&nbsp; And we’ve seen that just in the month of March with thousands of missiles, rockets, projectiles launched at Ukrainians and Ukraine’s cities and towns, its electricity grid – and that continues.&nbsp;We’re also here at NATO to talk about the summit that’s upcoming in the summer in Washington, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Alliance.&nbsp; Ukraine will become a member of NATO.&nbsp; Our purpose of the summit is to help build a bridge to that membership and to create a clear pathway for Ukraine moving forward.&nbsp; We’ve done a lot of work on that over the last couple of days here in Brussels, a lot more work to be done between now and the summit, but we will see, I think, at the summit very strong support for Ukraine going forward and its relationship with NATO.&nbsp;But we’re equally focused, as I said, on the immediate and on Ukraine’s needs today, tomorrow, the day after to help it withstand this ongoing aggression from Russia.&nbsp; We’ll talk about all of that and the work that our two countries continue to do together.The final point is this:&nbsp; The fight that Ukraine has on its hands is not only Ukraine’s fight; it’s everyone’s fight.&nbsp; Because the aggression being committed by Russia is not only an aggression against Ukraine and its people, it’s an aggression against the very principles that lie at the heart of the international system.&nbsp; If Russia were somehow to succeed in Ukraine, if we did not continue to stand with Ukraine, the message to would-be aggressors everywhere is it’s open season; you can get away with it too.&nbsp;And so it’s imperative that Congress move forward with a supplemental budget request that President Biden made for additional assistance to Ukraine.&nbsp; It’s not only in Ukraine’s interest; it’s profoundly in our own.&nbsp; And we have dozens of allies as well who feel the same way, who are more than picking up their share of the burden.&nbsp; And the supplemental will help ensure that we can continue to deliver for Ukraine because Ukraine is delivering for us, fighting the fight every day to uphold these principles that Russia’s aggressing and that matter to the United States and matter to every country in NATO.&nbsp;FOREIGN MINISTER KULEBA:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you for the kind and strong words that you said just now, but also in the meeting behind the closed doors.&nbsp; I didn’t want to spoil the birthday party for NATO, but I felt compelled to deliver a very sobering message on behalf of Ukrainians about the state of Russian air attacks on my country, destroying our energy system, our economy, killing civilians.&nbsp; And I urged Allies today to provide Ukraine with new additional air defense systems, the best of which is Patriot.&nbsp; This is the only system that effectively intercepts ballistic missiles.&nbsp; In March only, Ukraine suffered from 94 ballistic missiles – 94 ballistic missiles were shot at Ukraine.&nbsp;As a result of the discussions that we had and these strong encouraging messages from Secretary Blinken, Allies will undertake an exercise of allocating, of finding this – identifying this additional air defense systems in order to bring them to Ukraine, to provide them to Ukraine, and help defend our skies.&nbsp;Of course, I also listened carefully to the discussion, to the comments related to the upcoming Washington Summit.&nbsp; It is up for – up to Allies themselves to decide on the form and the content of the next step towards Ukraine’s membership in NATO.&nbsp; I understand the decision has been taken today to task the military – military part of the Alliance with designing what that step could be.&nbsp; And we will be looking forward to the outcome, but, of course, we believe that Ukraine deserves to be a member of NATO and that this should happen sooner – rather sooner – sooner rather than later.&nbsp; So we will be looking forward to the outcome of these deliberations.&nbsp;Finally, I would like to thank the people of the United States, the Biden administration, and those forces in Congress who work tirelessly on finding a solution to a very – to a problem that seems to be very simple; just put something to the vote, put the law to the vote.&nbsp; No one has doubts that the law will be voted by overwhelming majority, but overcoming this last obstacle is crucial.&nbsp; It has to happen as soon as possible.&nbsp; We heard the latest messages coming from Washington, and we hope that this will be delivered.&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks.						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- Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen At the Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding To Expand Collaboration on Countering Foreign Information Manipulation Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateBrussels, BelgiumNATO Headquarters SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, good morning, everyone.  And I first want to simply say to my friend and colleague, Elina, congratulations.  Congratulations on one year of Finland’s membership in our Alliance.  This has been an extraordinary year, but really made all the more extraordinary by the accession of Finland and now Sweden to NATO, an Alliance that is stronger, bigger, more united than it’s ever been.  Our own bilateral cooperation between Finland and the United States is at a historic high.  Finland has also been unwavering in its support for Ukraine.  We see that every single day.The memorandum of understanding that we just signed is also important.  It’s an initiative that will allow our countries to work more closely together to combat one of the new challenges of our time, which is misinformation, information that governments use to exploit divisions in our respective societies.  Signing this today signals our shared commitment – Finland and the United States – to work together to combat it and to do so even more effectively.  So I couldn’t be more pleased for this moment, but especially the last year.FOREIGN MINISTER VALTONEN:  Secretary Blinken – dear Tony – it’s such a pleasure that we are celebrating 75 years today of NATO.  And of course, now having been one year an ally – we have to say that Sweden is also in our membership finally, so it’s complete.  So it’s really a week of celebration for us even though the challenges we are facing around the world.  But a great pleasure to sign this memorandum of understanding countering foreign state information manipulation.  The relationship between Finland and the United States is as broad as it is deep, with active collaboration across multiple sectors.Our relationship is built on a strong foundation of shared values and unwavering respect for the rule of law.  Information manipulation is a growing challenge to democratic countries and open societies like ours, who also cherish the value of free speech.  It is used as a destructive political instrument in attempts to influence minds, values, attitudes, and societies in an unacceptable way.  The MOU refers to new technologies, including artificial intelligence.  AI makes it easier to mass produce disinformation, but it also provides tools to track disinformation more effectively.  So as an engineer myself, I try to see the positive sides of technology as well, which of course brings us all a lot of prosperity and opportunities for the future.  Thank you so much.SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  Thanks, everyone.
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a NATO 75th Anniversary Reception Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateBrussels, BelgiumAmbassador’s Residence, Truman HallAMBASSADOR SMITH:  Distinguished guests, ministers, ambassadors, Secretary Blinken, Mr. Secretary General, it is such a pleasure and an honor to welcome all of you to my home this evening – Truman Hall – to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of this wonderful Alliance.Of course, 75 years ago this group would have been quite a bit smaller.  At the very beginning, as all of you know, it was 12 founding members that laid the foundations for an Alliance that is designed to preserve transatlantic peace.  And over seven decades, NATO added new missions and new members as countries that share our values and our commitment to peace and stability joined the Alliance and made all of us safer and stronger together.What a momentous occasion it is tonight to have all 32 Allies together, represented for the very first time at this ministerial and here tonight for this celebration.  (Applause.)Before turning the floor over to Secretary Blinken, I do have three very special announcements.  First, during this anniversary year, the U.S. mission will be renaming its executive conference room after Madeleine Albright, our 64th secretary of state.  (Applause.)  Many of you knew her – I know you did – and the first woman to ever serve in that role in the United States.Now, as many of you know, Secretary Albright played a crucial role in advocating for NATO enlargement, leading to the inclusion of several Central and Eastern European countries.  She also championed NATO’s involvement in conflict resolution and peacekeeping efforts, particularly during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.  Albright’s diplomatic finesse and strategic vision strengthened NATO’s role as a cornerstone of transatlantic security cooperation, and it is so fitting that we honor her tonight, particularly with so many of my U.S. colleagues here that had a very close and special relationship with Secretary Albright, including Secretary Blinken and former colleagues Jim O’Brien, Jamie Rubin, and Suzy George, among others.Second, I’d like to draw your attention to a very unique item that we’ve borrowed from the NATO archives, and this one might surprise you a little bit: NATO’s first cookbook.  (Laughter.)  That’s right, cookbook – you heard me correctly – titled The Best of Taste, published in 1957 by the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic Officers’ Wives Club.  (Laughter.)  And the book highlights recipes representing the 15 Allies that we had at the time.  Now, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first SACEUR and by that time president of the United States, submitted his favorite recipe: old-fashioned beef stew.But now, in that spirit, we’ve prepared a wonderful menu for you tonight, but it does not include beef stew, so rest assured.  But what we did do tonight with the menu is we have created an array of very distinct dishes featuring the specialties and a special food of each of NATO’s 12 founding members.  So you’ll see trays passing tonight with flags on them denoting which country that particular dish is from.Finally – and this is what I’m really most excited about – I’d like to introduce our special guest of honor, beyond the two gentlemen sitting to my left and right – standing to my left and right, our special guest of honor this evening, Harry S. Truman himself immortalized in bronze for his namesake home in commemoration of NATO’s 75th anniversary.  The eight-foot statue created by Missouri artist Tom Corbin is a very generous gift from the Truman Library Institute, and I’d like to thank our guests from the institute here tonight and also recognize Clifton Truman Daniel, President Truman’s eldest grandson.  (Applause.)After tonight’s event, President Truman will be displayed permanently under the pergola in the garden behind us for residents and visitors to Truman Hall to admire for generations to come.  Clifton, will you please do the honors and unveil our guest of honor?  (Applause.)And now, without further ado, it is my pleasure and honor to introduce Secretary of State Tony Blinken to share a few words with us on this very special occasion.  (Applause.)SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  Thank you, friends.  Very hard act to follow, but it’s so wonderful to see you, and we’re looking forward to President Truman’s permanent placement shortly after this evening.So first, welcome, everyone.  And Julie, thank you so much for welcoming us to your very humble home.  (Laughter.)  I know you’ve been complaining for a long time that there’s just not a lot of elbow room, and we can all see what you mean by it.Julie arrived just months before Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  The fact that the Alliance has not only weathered this crisis but emerged bigger, stronger, more united than ever is in no small part because of Ambassador Smith’s leadership.  There is no one I would rather have – but more important, the President would rather have – representing the United States in this place at this time than Julie Smith.  Thank you.  (Applause.)Similarly – and I think all of my colleagues are united in believing this – the United States, for all of the members of NATO, none of us could have hoped for a greater champion for this Alliance than Jens Stoltenberg.  No one could have done a better job holding us together when others were trying to divide us.  No one could have done a better job of really carrying the Alliance forward.  And Jens, we’ve all said it in different ways at different times, but it always bears repeating:  We’re so grateful for your leadership.  (Applause.)I also want to thank all of the permanent representatives from the Alliance countries and the work that you’re doing every single day with your teams to really move forward the work of the Alliance.  None of this happens by itself.  None of it’s automatic.  It’s because of the day-in, day-out work that you’re doing to lead our Alliance forward.Now, I am really pleased that we’re her when we’re renaming the conference room of the U.S. mission to NATO for Secretary Albright.  She was, as for so many of us, a real mentor as well as a friend, a supporter, an incredible counselor.  I think we all miss her every single day, but we’re also animated by her spirit, her determination, and in many ways animated by her vision of what the United States can be, should be, as well as what this Alliance can be and should be.  This would be her kind of night.  She loved NATO, and she made a huge contribution to it.Almost exactly 25 years ago – across the Atlantic, at the Truman Library in Missouri – Madeleine formally welcomed Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary into the Alliance, and she quoted an old Central European expression to mark the moment: Hallelujah.  (Laughter.)  That grew the Alliance to 19 members. Today, of course, we’re 32.At the time, Madeleine and her counterparts were also looking forward to another Washington Summit – that was the one marking the 50th anniversary of our Alliance.  She reminded the audience that day NATO’s strength depends on its unity.  And she warned, and I quote her, “We know that when the democracies of Europe and America are divided, crevices are created through which forces of evil and  aggression may emerge;  that when we stand together,  no force on Earth... more powerful than our solidarity on behalf of freedom.”Madeleine understood this because she’d lived it personally.  As a small child, her family had been driven from their home not once but twice – first by the Nazis, then by the communists – before finding refuge in the United Kingdom and then the United States.Someone else understood this profoundly: Harry S. Truman.  He understood on a personal level what can happen when we allow the forces of evil, the forces of aggression to spread.When the United States entered World War I, he rejoined the U.S. National Guard, and he was put in command of an artillery unit that saw brutal combat in France.  He later wrote this:  “I know the strain, the mud, the misery&#8230; of the soldier in the field.  And I know too his” – and add today her – “courage.”The experience left Truman – along with generations of men and women who survived the two World Wars – determined that history would not repeat itself.  Harry Truman believed that the best way, maybe the only way, to ensure that was to bind America’s fate to that of other nations who shared our values; for all to commit to defending one another’s territory as if it were their own.Now, those of us here today in some ways may take that for granted now, after 75 years, but this was a radical belief in its time, and it was also an untested one.  And in some ways it’s also easy to assume that NATO’s success was somehow preordained.  It wasn’t.It required that the 12 founding members of the Alliance – and then those who came after – not only to build foundations of peace, but then to keep fortifying, adapting those foundations as new challenges emerged, challenges that the founders of NATO couldn’t possibly foresee.And for three-quarters of a century, that’s exactly what our Alliance has done.  That’s how NATO helped prevent the Iron Curtain from enveloping the free nations of Western Europe, how it helped avert war with the Soviet Union, and helped newly independent nations walk the path to democracy.For those achievements and so many others, we are indebted to the millions of soldiers, sailors, aviators whose courage and willingness to put their lives on the line have given weight to our sacred commitment to defend one another.We’re also indebted to all the leaders and diplomats who shaped the Alliance over these 75 years – not just those who were present at the creation, but also those present at NATO’s many recreations over subsequent decades.  Their collective service has given generations of people on both sides of the ocean that joins us a rare and invaluable gift: unprecedented security.And yet, even as we meet here this evening, that security – together with the Alliance’s core principles of democracy, liberty, the rule of law – this is once again being challenged, challenged by those who believe that might makes right and those who would seek to redraw borders by force.And of course, we know many new challenges have emerged – again, ones that the founders of NATO could not possibly have foreseen, challenges that would’ve been unimaginable to NATO’s architects: a growing climate crisis, cyber attacks, disinformation.The Alliance is meeting these threats as we always have: by adapting together.Over the past three years, we’ve enhanced our deterrence, we’ve reinforced our eastern flank, we’ve ramped up investments in our defense industrial capacity, we’ve launched a new Strategic Concept, we’ve welcomed two exceptionally capable new members – all work that our leaders will carry forward at the Washington Summit in July.But even as our Alliance changes, even as it evolves, its purpose remains enduring.  Ours is a defensive Alliance.  It’s never had and it never will have designs on the territory of any other country.As Truman said at the founding, the purpose of this defensive Alliance is to allow us to get on with the real business of life, the real business of government, the real business of society: “achieving a fuller and happier life for all&#8230; our citizens.”In that way, the true measure of NATO’s success is not merely the enemies that it’s deterred or the territory it’s defended, but all the ways our citizens have used their security, used their freedom to improve their lives in tangible ways.No wonder that democracies continue to make great sacrifices to join this Alliance.  No wonder nations far beyond the transatlantic region – including dozens represented here this evening – are striving to deepen their partnership with NATO.So, as we celebrate this extraordinary Alliance, let’s not lose sight of why we created it, or why it has endured these 75 years.  And let’s recommit ourselves to shoring up the foundations of peace, as well as anticipating new and emerging threats.Finally, let us together protect all we’ve built in 75 years under NATO’s shield, and ensure that it remains strong to keep building for the next 75 years and well beyond that.  To each and every one of you who are the life force of NATO today, thank you, thank you, thank you for your engagement.  Thank you for your partnership.  Thank you for your solidarity.  Thank you for the work that still lies ahead.Thanks, everyone.  (Applause.)AMBASSADOR SMITH:  Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.  And Mr. Secretary General, the floor is now yours.  Thank you.  (Applause.)SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG:  Secretary Blinken, Tony; Ambassador Smith, Julie, thank you so much for hosting us all here tonight.  Ministers, ambassadors, dear friends, it’s great to be here at the Truman Hall next to President Harry S. Truman – at least, a statue of him – and together with the grandson of Harry S. Truman.  So this is really a Truman evening.And it is in particular great to be here as the secretary general of NATO, because I’m not able to think about any individual person that has played a more important role for this Alliance than President Truman, because we have to try to imagine how the world looked like at the end of the Second World War.  Because then the plan was of course to get the troops, the forces back home.  That was the case for everyone, but especially for the United States, who sent people across the Atlantic and to Europe to help end the Second World War.The United States left Europe after the First World War.  That was not a big success.  So therefore, I’m glad that after the Second World War, the United States decided to stay – stay with their forces, stay with their troops, and not only that, but also to underpin the transatlantic bond with the Marshall aid, with a big economic program to underpin the transatlantic bond.  And then on top of that – not only keeping their forces and providing enormous economic support to Europe, but on top of that, actually signed a treaty obligation to protect and defend Allies in Europe.And the president responsible for all those decisions, knowing that to not bring back the troops, not bring back all the boys after war was potentially a very unpopular, difficult position – economically costly, politically costly, and of course also paying in human cost – the president responsible for that decision that was brave and not obvious and actually controversial at the time was President Harry S. Truman.  So therefore, we would have not been here and would have not been a 75th anniversary to celebrate if it hadn’t been for that very brave political decision by the United States to stay in Europe.  And therefore, it is great to celebrate the 75th anniversary, and to do that at Truman Hall together with the grandson and next to the statue of the great president.Then, ever since the Alliance was established or founded in ’49, it has been a great success – preserving peace, preventing war, and enabling economic prosperity – and the fact that, as mentioned both by Tony and Julie, that we have gone from 12 members to now 32 demonstrates that at least we have – there is at least something right we have done over these years – (laughter) – establishing a group that so many want to join.And the great success has been enabled or has happened not least because of U.S. leadership, from President Truman to President Biden, from Secretary Acheson to Secretary Blinken, and from General Eisenhower to General Cavoli, and also supported by many very capable U.S. ambassadors, today represented by Julie Smith.  So many thanks to all them for their leadership and the commitment they have demonstrated to our Alliance over all these years.Then, what we will do tomorrow is to celebrate, but we will also do what has actually made this Alliance a success, and that is to focus on how can we continue to adapt.  Because the only reason why we are the most successful Alliance in history is for two reasons: one, our unity; and second, that we’ve been able to change when the world is changing.So therefore we need to prepare for the upcoming NATO summit in July, where we once again are going to celebrate but also going to demonstrate our ability to take the necessary decisions to demonstrate our unity and ensure that we stand together.  Because I cannot tell you exactly what the next crisis or the next conflict or the next war will be, but what I can tell you is that regardless of what the next crisis will be, we will be safe as long as we stand together – North America and Europe.  Because together we represent 50 percent of the world’s economic might and 50 percent of the world’s military might, so as long as we stand together, no one can threaten us; we are safe.So if you ensure that we demonstrate that at the summit in Washington, our unity and our ability to change, then we’ll continue to be the most successful Alliance in history.  And that will be in the spirit of President Truman and that will be in the spirit of this Alliance over these 75 years.Thank you.  (Applause.)AMBASSADOR SMITH:  Well, thank you very much, Mr. Secretary General, both you and Secretary Blinken, for your remarks this evening.  And thanks to all of our guests that joined us this evening.  I also must say thank you to the amazing team at USNATO and at Truman Hall that are responsible for bringing together this incredible event this evening.  And to our honored guests tonight, please enjoy a taste from the 12 original founding Allies.  I invite you to explore the library and maybe even take a glimpse at that cookbook from very, very long ago.  And do enjoy the music tonight provided by some members of the American (inaudible).  And last but not least, I ask you before you leave tonight, please do sign the guestbook so we can remember this very, very historic occasion.Thanks again and enjoy.  (Applause.)
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg																																		Readout																														April 3, 2024																																							The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today in Brussels ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting. Secretary Blinken and Secretary General Stoltenberg discussed key priorities for the Washington Summit, including strengthening our shared commitment to Ukraine, furthering NATO’s Indo-Pacific and EU partnerships, and building upon collective defense commitments.&nbsp;They also noted the strength of the Alliance, with Finland and Sweden participating as members and increased investment by Allies.&nbsp;						Tags																					Belgium																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																																Secretary Trip																															The Secretary of State