NATO foreign ministers approved a series of measures Thursday aimed at countering Russia in the Black Sea region, an agreement that comes amid public rifts between the United States and several of the other 28 members on security and trade issues.
In a meeting in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO, the ministers agreed to provide Georgia and Ukraine with increased maritime cooperation, patrols and port visits.
Both countries have faced Russian aggression and have aspirations to join the alliance.
The NATO ministers also renewed demands for Russia to end its annexation of Crimea, release Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized in a confrontation last year in the Sea of Azov and respect the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
The U.S. announced it will withdraw from the 1987 treaty in August unless Russia returns to compliance.
But a deepening dispute between the U.S. and Turkey over the Turks' planned purchase of a Russian air defense system, U.S. demands for allies, particularly Germany, to boost defense spending, and a row with Canada over tariffs hung over the commemoration ceremony at the State Department.
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appealed for the allies to stand together to confront "great power" challenges from Russia, China and Iran.
He hailed NATO's deterrence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said the alliance was well positioned to move forward as it confronts new and evolving challenges.
"We have rightly sought peace through strength here at NATO," Pompeo said. "We must continue to do so, especially in this new era of great power competition from Russia, from China, and the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The ministry said the account failed to accurately reflect the content of the discussion and added that "our alliance naturally requires that such statements are prepared with greater care."
Asked about the Turkish complaint, Pompeo said he had re-read the account and it was "spot on."
"Turkey must choose," Pence said Wednesday. "Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in the history of the world or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?"