WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2021) US top diplomat Antony Blinken has urged NATO cooperation with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the South Korea as well as to confront the perceived systemic challenges from Russia and China ahead of the alliance summit, the State Department said on Tuesday.
"The Secretary [Blinken] expressed support for Secretary General [Jens] Stoltenberg's efforts to adapt the Alliance through the NATO 2030 initiative, making it more resilient and capable of confronting systemic challenges from Russia and the People's Republic of China...," the Department said in a release. "Secretary Blinken underscored the importance of Alliance partnerships, including NATO-EU cooperation, and encouraged NATO to deepen its cooperation with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea."
The upcoming NATO summit will take place in Brussels on June 14 and will be the first stop of Biden's first overseas trip as president. He will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16.
