Carter Meets With Dutch Defense Minister at NATO Ministerial

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter met today with Netherlands Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert at the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels to discuss the U.S.-Dutch defense partnership, according to a DoD news release.

The two leaders also discussed commitment to NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and European security, the release said.

Carter thanked Hennis-Plasschaert for the Netherlands partnership with the VJTF and for making progress toward fulfilling the commitment made by NATO member nations at last year’s defense ministerial in Wales to spend a minimum of 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, the release said.

Carter also reaffirmed America's commitment to transatlantic security, citing Operation Atlantic Resolve as an example of that commitment, the release said.

The U.S. defense secretary also thanked the minister for the contributions of the Netherlands, including trainers and airstrikes, to the coalition to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and for their support of United Nations peacekeeping operations, the release said.