Department of Defense Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan R. Hoffman provided the following readout:
On Sept. 6, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper visited London where he reaffirmed the vital and strategically important defense relationship between the two nations in bilateral engagements with Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab, and National Security Adviser and Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.
In these meetings, Secretary Esper highlighted both countries’ mutual commitment to NATO, which is a cornerstone of international peace and security. In his meeting with Secretary Wallace, both leaders agreed to continue to work with NATO allies to increase readiness and ensure interoperability to meet common security challenges.
Secretary Esper and the UK leaders exchanged views on a range of security topics and agreed to deepen collaboration to uphold international norms—including freedom of navigation through the International Maritime Security Construct. All pledged to continue to work together to deepen ties and emphasized continued close cooperation between the two nations.
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