Office of the Spokesperson
The following statement was released by United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell:
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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell reaffirm the United States and the EU’s enduring partnership and shared commitments to Transatlantic security and confronting common security challenges, in line with the depth of our bond, common values, and shared interests.
They both welcome the European Defence Agency Steering Board’s approval of a negotiating mandate for an Administrative Arrangement with the United States and express a shared commitment to seek to conclude negotiations soon.
They acknowledge the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes to global and Transatlantic security and recall the need to develop coherent, complementary, and interoperable capabilities. They support the fullest possible involvement of the United States in EU defense initiatives.
As envisioned in the June 2021 U.S.-EU Summit joint statement, they announce the launch of a U.S.-EU dialogue on security and defense on the occasion of the visit by European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino and Director General of the EU Military Staff Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean to Washington, D.C.
The first meeting of the dialogue, which will aim to pursue closer cooperation in the fields of security and defense, will be held in early 2022 with the participation of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense and the European External Action Service as well as the European Commission and the European Defence Agency, as appropriate.
The High Representative and the Secretary reaffirm their unwavering support for robust NATO-EU cooperation and the commitments outlined and principles enshrined in the 2016 and 2018 Joint Declarations. They commit to continue working jointly to raise the level of ambition for NATO-EU cooperation, in order to further strengthen this mutually reinforcing key strategic partnership.
