Office of the Spokesperson
Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Brussels on November 20 to participate in the North Atlantic Council meeting at the NATO Foreign Ministerial.
FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET TO FURTHER DEEPEN A STRONG TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE CRITICAL TO PEACE AND SECURITY
At this week’s Foreign Ministerial, the 29 Foreign Ministers representing Allied member states will convene under the authority of the Secretary General to discuss burden sharing, implementation of the 2018 Brussels Summit deliverables, and NATO’s adaptation to address emerging security challenges.
Secretary Pompeo will meet with NATO Ally Foreign Ministers to review Allies’ progress in increased defense spending and take stock of what NATO is doing to strengthen deterrence and defense and contribute to the fight against international terrorism.
This meeting will lay the foundation for the NATO Leaders Meeting in London next month, where Heads of State and Government will gather to celebrate NATO’s 70th anniversary and chart the way ahead for the Alliance.
FOR NATO TO REMAIN THE BEDROCK OF TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY, WE MUST INVEST TO MEET THE THREATS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW
Thanks to the Trump Administration’s diplomatic efforts, the Alliance is on track to spend at least an additional $100 billion in new defense funding from 2016 to the end of 2020.
But we must do more. Alliance members are seeking to reverse defense-spending trends that were two decades in the making, and to adapt the Alliance to meet the challenges posed by Russian aggression, terrorist threats, and other global challenges.
Each Ally must increase its efforts to ensure we are meeting our commitments to one another and are making the investments in capabilities and readiness that allow us to present a strong and credible deterrent to those who would threaten us.
NATO HAS STRENGTHENED TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY FOR SEVENTY YEARS AND CONTINUES TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE TODAY
NATO was founded in 1949 to safeguard freedom and promote stability in the North Atlantic area. NATO’s 29 Allies have committed to the principal of collective defense, that an armed attack against one shall be considered an attack against them all.
Approximately 20,000 military personnel are engaged in NATO operations and missions around the world, conducting ground, air, and naval operations in all types of environments.
The Alliance’s ongoing operations and missions include efforts in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, and the Mediterranean.