SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Buon giorno.
ITALIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE LORENZO GUERINI: Good morning.
SEC. AUSTIN: Good morning, all people, and thanks for becoming a member of us right now.
Minister Guerini, I am delighted to host you once more on the Pentagon. And it is nice to see you once more after the NATO Summit in Madrid and our quite a few conferences that we have had this 12 months. The wonderful thing about having quite a lot of conferences is that we have gotten to know one another higher as ministers of protection.
Our assembly right now underscores the significance of our transatlantic relationships to our shared unity and safety. And that is particularly essential as Ukraine continues to battle again towards Russia’s unprovoked and unjust invasion.
So, Mr. Minister, I need to thanks for all the things that you just’re doing to assist Ukraine within the face of Russia’s indefensible assault on its peaceable neighbor.
We deeply recognize the safety help that Italy has supplied and the deployments of your forces to NATO’s Japanese Flank. I’m very pleased with our robust and longstanding bilateral protection relationship along with your nation. Italy is a gracious host to our forces, U.S. forces, and also you’re one in all our closest Allies and safety companions in missions around the globe.
Italy makes spectacular contributions to worldwide safety, particularly Italy’s in depth out-of-area deployments. In Might, Italy took command of the NATO mission in Iraq, and it’ll resume command of KFOR this fall.
Your navy’s presence within the Baltics, Romania, Iceland, Lebanon, and in a number of nations in Africa, demonstrates once more that Italy is one in all Europe’s most dependable safety suppliers.
So, I look ahead right now to a strong dialogue on many of those points, in addition to our cooperation in Africa, the place Italy continues to work for peace and safety.
Once more, Lorenzo, thanks for making the journey. I sincerely hope that it will likely be a productive go to. We’re delighted to host you once more. So, over to you, sir.
MIN. GUERINI (TRANSLATED): Expensive Lloyd, Mr. Secretary, thanks for this new assembly right here in Washington which follows my official go to final 12 months and the quite a few conferences we had this 12 months, particularly the final one, which is the Madrid Summit.
I’m right here to (inaudible) the historic relation between our nations, which sees one in all its strongholds within the sector of protection. And I am sure of our frequent willingness to additional implement it, particularly right now when battle is once more ravaging in Europe and the worldwide order has been wounded by Moscow’s unjustified aggression towards a sovereign state.
Expensive Lloyd, let me specific my gratitude to your management of the Ukraine Protection Contact Group, which contributes in a decisive strategy to supporting (inaudible) protection in Ukraine, permitting a coordination between our contributing nations which might have been in any other case unimaginable.
On this regard, Italy is taking part in its half in offering help to Ukraine. To date, we have now already delivered three packages of kit, together with a few of absolute relevance. And we’ll proceed to take action in shut synergy with Allied nations, ranging from america.
Italy is equally dedicated in contributing to strengthening the NATO deterrence and protection posture on the Japanese Flank. On this regard, along with what we’re already doing, the Italian armed forces are able to ship additional items with a view to strengthen the protection of our Allies on the Japanese Flank.
NATO is even stronger after the Madrid Summit, the place we have now made vital choices akin to 360-degree strategic flexibility. Inside this framework, Italy welcomed and absolutely shared the confirmed centrality of the Southern Flank.
And it’s on the Southern Flank, each inside European Union and a NATO framework, that Italy intends to play a protagonist function, ranging from the Mediterranean, to safeguard our related frequent safety pursuits, that are additionally linked with the continued battle between Russia and Ukraine.
On this regard, we just lately noticed an image of the U.S. and Italian naval teams with the carriers Truman and Cavour navigating aspect by aspect within the Mediterranean. This picture provides the picture of our friendship higher than any speech might do, and of the particular relation between america and Italy, in addition to underscoring the significance of the Southern Flank.
Beside navy cooperation, I want to reaffirm the worth of commercial cooperation, the place Italy and america can construct a stable relationship in all sectors.
So, Lloyd, thanks for this additional alternative to fulfill with you, as a result of we have now vital issues to debate, and we’ll do it constructing on the solidity of our frequent work to contribute to defending and guaranteeing worldwide order. And due to america for what they did, what they’re doing, and what they’ll do to contribute to peace and to worldwide order.
SEC. AUSTIN: Once more, Lorenzo, we’re delighted to — to host you. You’re a nice associate. I look ahead to an incredible dialogue right here.
Thanks, all people.
