Press Release
☷Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III Remarks Welcoming Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds to the Pentagon
U.S. Department of Defense ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd J . Austin III: Hey there , good morning! It ' s great to have you here at the Pentagon , Mr . Minister . I had a fantastic visit to Riga in 2022 , so I ' m happy to host you here today . We ' re at a crucial time for European and global security with Putin ' s invasion of Ukraine . Latvia has been a strong supporter of Ukraine , providing both military assistance and humanitarian aid . I commend Latvia for its investments in defense capabilities , including recent purchases of HIMARS and naval strike missiles . The U . S . remains committed to Latvia ' s defense and NATO ' s collective security . Thanks for being here today , Mr . Minister . Looking forward to our discussion . Defense Minister Andris Sprūds: Mr . Secretary , thank you for the warm welcome . It ' s a pleasure to meet and exchange thoughts with you . The U . S . has played a key role in unifying the alliance and supporting Ukraine . We face challenges , like Russia ' s invasion of Ukraine , but NATO has shown its strength with U . S . leadership . Sweden and Finland joining the alliance further demonstrate our unity and readiness to tackle global and regional challenges . Support for Ukraine is crucial . I think we ' ve accomplished a lot together , and Latvia believes that steady support is crucial . The U . S . and your leadership have been highly valued in dealing with aggressive countries like Russia . We are working on strengthening NATO with our allies , including the United States . The presence of NATO in Latvia is important , and we appreciate the partnership with the U . S . We are happy to be here to strengthen our partnership even further . Thank you for hosting us , Mr . Secretary . We look forward to a great discussion .
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