Mike Pompeo to travel to Brussels to participate in NATO foreign ministerial

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo will travel to Brussels on November 20 to participate in the North Atlantic Council meeting at the NATO Foreign Ministerial.

The US Department of State in a statement said at this week's Foreign Ministerial, the 29 Foreign Ministers representing Allied member states will convene under the authority of the Secretary-General to discuss burden sharing, implementation of the 2018 Brussels Summit deliverables, and NATO's adaptation to address emerging security challenges.

"Secretary Pompeo will meet with NATO Ally Foreign Ministers to review Allies' progress in increased defence spending and take stock of what NATO is doing to strengthen deterrence and defence and contribute to the fight against international terrorism," the State Department said in its statement.

 

"This meeting will lay the foundation for the NATO Leaders Meeting in London next month, where Heads of State and Government will gather to celebrate NATO's 70th anniversary and chart the way ahead for the Alliance," it added.

It credited Trump administration's diplomatic efforts saying the Alliance is on track to spend at least an additional $100 billion in new defence funding from 2016 to the end of 2020.

At the same time, it also made it clear that "each ally must increase its efforts to ensure we are meeting our commitments to one another and are making the investments in capabilities and readiness that allow us to present a strong and credible deterrent to those who would threaten us."

NATO was founded in 1949 to safeguard freedom and promote stability in the North Atlantic area. NATO's 29 Allies have committed to the principle of collective defense, that an armed attack against one shall be considered an attack against them all.

Approximately 20,000 military personnel are engaged in NATO operations and missions around the world, conducting ground, air, and naval operations in all types of environments.

The US Department of State said the Alliance's ongoing operations and missions include efforts in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, and the Mediterranean.