US diplomat, NATO chief discuss transatlantic alliance

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the transatlantic alliance Wednesday, said the State Department.

The top US diplomat conveyed President Joe Biden's "determination to strengthen and reinvigorate” the alliance, said spokesperson Ned Price in a statement.

"Secretary Blinken and the Secretary General also discussed the NATO 2030 report, which provides a solid foundation for NATO’s adaption to new strategic realities," said the statement.

The two officials also agreed to begin talks to schedule a NATO summit in the first half of 2021.

Blinken's conversation with Stoltenberg came a day after Biden spoke with the NATO chief and affirmed his country's "commitment to strengthening transatlantic security.”

"The President thanked the Secretary General for his steadfast leadership of the Alliance and conveyed his intention to consult and work with allies on the full range of shared security concerns, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Russia," said the White House in a statement.