Ben Wallace Wraps Up Key Washington Defence Talks
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has just finished a crucial visit to Washington, DC. He held high-level talks with top US defence chiefs, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Focus on Ukraine, NATO, and AUKUS Pact
Wallace and his American counterparts hammered out discussions on major defence issues. These included ongoing support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, NATO strategies, and the strategic AUKUS trilateral security pact involving the UK, US, and Australia.
Wallace on the UK-US Bond
“It’s been an honour and a great pleasure to meet again with my friend Lloyd Austin III. The US is our closest ally and defence partner, with shared values that serve to promote open and free democracies across the world, alongside continued peace and security.”
“We discussed ways to strengthen our defence cooperation, breaking down barriers and increasing our interoperability through the AUKUS trilateral agreement – and we turned our attention again to our unwavering support for Ukraine.”
Wallace also highlighted talks with the US House Foreign Affairs Committee about making the AUKUS pact a generational success.
Austin Hails Historic UK-US Alliance
“We have no closer partner or ally than the United Kingdom. AUKUS is an historic opportunity that shows how strong we can become when we work together.”
“It shows our deep commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and it is testament to our shared values and the long-term investments we are making in our forces.”
“I am confident AUKUS will break down barriers and usher in a new era of US-UK defence co-operation.”
