NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meet at the  Pentagon in Washington DC June 7, 2021. (Credit: NATO.Int) 

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

WASHINGTON  –    Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Pentagon Monday. At the Pentagon meeting, Defense Austin stressed his support for the NATO 2030 initiative and “its goal of keeping the alliance strong militarily, and making it…stronger politically and giving it a more global view,” he said.  The Pentagon meeting was held in advance of the NATO Summit next week in Brussels. 

“Obviously, we’re focused on NATO’s top job– maintaining credible deterrence and being ready to fight and win if deterrence should fail. But so too, are we focused on ensuring the entire Alliance has a comprehensive view of the challenges the transatlantic community faces and for leading NATO’s adaptation to meet those threats.”

-U.S. Defense Secretary Austin

U.S. Drawdown of Troops in Afghanistan “Proceeding Well” –  Austin

“The withdrawal of U.S. forces from that country is proceeding well.  And as I have made clear back in April when we announced our decision in Brussels, the United States remains committed to assisting our Resolute Support partners as they, too, retrograde. As you yourself said, we went into Afghanistan together, we adjusted our posture together and we are united in leaving together. And that’s exactly what we are doing. I am confident that, as Resolute Support begins to stand down, we will transition to a new relationship with Afghanistan and with the Afghan forces … one that continues to help them meet their responsibilities to their citizens,” the Defense Secretary said.

NATO Alliance Faces Many Challenges Including Rise of China, Russian Aggression: Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US President Joe Biden meet at the White House in Washington DC June 7, 2021. 

 NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said:      “The global balance of power is shifting. We see the rise of China, we see Russia continue to be responsible for aggressive actions against NATO Allies, and our neighbors, in cyberspace, through hybrid means, and also the way they have used military force against the Ukraine, Georgia and other countries in that region. Then we, of course, also very much realize that we need to invest in our security to make sure that we continue to be able to deliver a credible deterrence and defense in a more unpredictable and competitive world.”