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Release
Immediate Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's meeting with British Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon

Sept. 4, 2014

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following readout:

At today's NATO meeting in Wales, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met in person for the first time with his new British counterpart, Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon.  The secretary and the minister discussed a range of issues, including the current situation in Ukraine and the ongoing threat posed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). 

Secretary Hagel expressed his gratitude for the continued British support of humanitarian and resupply efforts in Iraq, and Minister Fallon extended his condolences over the recent murder of American journalist Steven Sotloff.  Both Fallon and Hagel highlighted to need to build a coalition to help address the ISIL threat.

Hagel and Fallon also discussed the current situation in Ukraine, and the need for increased defense spending by NATO nations and partners.  Both of them reiterated their nations' commitment to the importance of NATO and the principle of collective defense, including a discussion of the proposed NATO Rapid-Reaction Force.