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Immediate Release

Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks' Meeting With U.K. Permanent Under Secretary of Defence David Williams

Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon provided the following readout:

Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks met with UK Permanent Under Secretary of Defence David Williams at the Pentagon today to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including U.S.-UK nuclear collaboration, industrial base issues related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, lowering information-sharing barriers, and the upcoming U.S.-UK Defense Dialogue. They also discussed the upcoming trilateral AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting on December 7, 2022. 

Deputy Secretary Hicks reiterated that the United States values the UK as an important strategic partner in nuclear deterrence and is committed to continuing support of the UK warhead replacement program and other SSBN modernization efforts, as noted in the 2022 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review.  

The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of ongoing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and the importance of multilateral cooperation to expeditiously address Ukraine's pressing security assistance requirements. The two reinforced the importance of deep U.S.-UK cooperation to deter behavior that threatens peace and security globally.

They also discussed industrial base challenges common to both countries. Deputy Secretary Hicks and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Dr. William LaPlante described U.S. Department of Defense engagement with the U.S. defense industry to identify and mitigate production constraints, and the two discussed areas for potential joint efforts. 

Deputy Secretary Hicks and Permanent Under Secretary Williams pledged their commitment to deepening the U.S.-U.K. defense and security relationship.