Sullivan to travel to Brussels to meet with NATO FMs

WASHINGTON, April 25 (KUNA) -- In preparation of the upcoming NATO summit, Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan will travel to Brussels on Friday to meet with 28 foreign ministers of the NATO alliance, a statement by US state Department said Wednesday.
The statement noted Sullivan will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and join NATO Allies to discuss preparations for the NATO Summit that Heads of State and Government will attend in July.
The main focus of this ministerial for the US "is increased burden-sharing, strengthening deterrence and defense, and strengthening NATO's role in counterterrorism." "The agenda will include a NAC (North Atlantic Council) working breakfast on Russia, a NAC session on projecting stability in the south, a working lunch on Afghanistan, and a NAC session on open door in Western Balkans." "The underlying theme in all of these meetings is the centrality, importance of the NATO alliance for the United States, our allies, and regional and international security," a US state department official said.
This is the fourth of five ministerial that will run up to the 2018 summit in July, a total of two foreign ministerial and three defense ministerial.
The final defense ministerial will be next month.
The US plans to underscore the threat of Russia as a destabilizing factor in Ukraine, Georgia and Syria, and how important it is for all allies to take this threat seriously.
This includes honoring their commitment from the Wales Summit to spend 2 percent of GDP, and devote 20 percent of defense budgets to major equipment by 2024, it w as said.
"Six countries in NATO currently do so, nine have submitted credible plans for doing so, and it's time for the other 13 members of the alliance to step up, and especially Germany, NATO's largest and wealthiest European member state of NATO," the official said.
Finally, the US plans to reiterate support for NATO's open door policy in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. (end) ak.mb