Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke on October 8th with new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to underscore the enduring U.S. commitment to the NATO Alliance.
The Secretary welcomed Secretary General Rutte to his new position and both look forward to a positive and productive relationship.
Secretary Austin discussed U.S. priorities for NATO and the upcoming NATO Defense Ministerial. These include implementing the agreements that leaders have made at recent NATO Summits, continuing to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defense efforts, maintaining robust support for Ukraine, and boosting the transatlantic defense industrial base.
