U.S. Department of State

Remarks

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Let me just welcome you, Secretary Pompeo. It’s great to have you back here in NATO at the NATO headquarters, and many thanks for your strong personal commitment to this alliance. I remember just a few hours after you were appointed as Secretary of State, you came directly to the NATO foreign ministerial, and we are grateful for your leadership.

And at the meeting today and tomorrow we will address several issues, which are very important to our shared security. We’ll start with a meeting. We’ll be meeting with our colleagues from Ukraine and Georgia, addressing the security in the Black Sea and the situation in the Azov Sea. We will discuss transatlantic security, including the INF Treaty. And all of us are extremely concerned about the new Russian missiles. And we call on Russia to urgently ensure full compliance with the INF Treaty in a verifiable and transparent way. Burden sharing is also how we can step up our efforts to fight terrorism, support the training mission of NATO in Iraq and our presence in Afghanistan, are all the issues which we will discuss. So once again, welcome.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you, General Stoltenberg. It’s great to be here. Thanks for hosting. I remember that day too, when I was the Secretary of State for just a few hours, then I was here. But just like that, it’s important. These gatherings are important to the world to show our determination. And as I said this morning in some remarks that I gave, this is an indispensable institution for stability in Europe and stability around the world. So I always look forward to coming here, being with you. You do a fantastic job leading this. President Trump said to send his regards, and I’m looking forward to our gathering.

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Thank you so much.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you.