Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke on October 8th with new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to underscore the enduring U.S. commitment to the NATO Alliance.
The Secretary welcomed Secretary General Rutte to his new position and both look forward to a positive and productive relationship.
Secretary Austin discussed U.S. priorities for NATO and the upcoming NATO Defense Ministerial. These include implementing the agreements that leaders have made at recent NATO Summits, continuing to strengthen the Alliance's deterrence and defense efforts, maintaining robust support for Ukraine, and boosting the transatlantic defense industrial base.
Secretary Austin and Secretary General Rutte exchanged views on NATO's work to support Ukraine, which will help keep Ukraine in the fight and build a bridge to Ukraine's future membership in NATO. They also discussed ongoing instability in the Middle East and NATO's commitment to continue its advisory and capacity-building mission in Iraq.