Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone today with Italian Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini to reinforce our steadfast commitment to our bilateral defense relationship.
The leaders discussed views on shared global security challenges including a rising China and threats from Russia.
Secretary Austin thanked Italy for continuing to host U.S. forces, and noted the importance of the presence of U.S. forces in Italy to NATO’s collective security. He also thanked Italy for being an exporter of security through its many deployments worldwide, including its leading roles in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Secretary Austin noted the importance of working closely with Italy to address our mutual security concerns.