Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with his new United Kingdom counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, during his visit to Washington, D.C. for the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit.
Secretary Austin welcomed Secretary Healey to Washington, D.C. and congratulated him on his recent appointment. Both Secretaries look forward to building on efforts to strengthen NATO at this week's summit. Secretary Austin and Secretary Healey discussed their countries' close cooperation to address myriad shared challenges including Russia's reckless war of choice against Ukraine and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Secretary Austin and Secretary Healey concluded the meeting by thanking each other for continued coordination on a range of issues, including AUKUS, while highlighting the enduring U.S.-UK special relationship that is underpinned by shared values and a commitment to the rules-based international order.