Secretary Reviews Collaboration With Canadian Counterpart

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Canadian Defense Minister Jason Kenney today reviewed the ongoing collaboration between the United States and Canada in the operations to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria, Defense Department officials said.

Carter and Kenney are in Brussels, where they are attending a conference of NATO defense ministers.

“Secretary Carter commended Canada for its contributions -- particularly their training efforts in northern Iraq -- and he and Minister Kenney discussed ways the United States and Canada can continue to work together on this issue,” officials said in a statement summarizing the meeting.

Ukraine Situation

The two defense leaders also discussed Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine and international efforts to provide assistance directly to Ukraine and surrounding countries, both bilaterally and through NATO reassurance initiatives, officials said.

Carter and Kenney also reiterated their support for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and pledged to continue coordinating closely on collective defense, the statement said.