US Secretary of Defense starts European tour Wed.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will to travel to Brussels on Wednesday and NATO for Defense Ministerial Meetings Followed by G7 Defense Ministers Meeting in Italy and Other Engagements in Italy and Vatican City, the Pentagon said Tuesday. He will travel to Brussels, Belgium, from October 16-18, 2024, to participate in a series of multilateral meetings, including the NATO Defense Ministerial and the Ministerial of the force contributing members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS), the Pentagon said in a press release on Tuesday. "These engagements and others will focus on strengthening NATO's collective defense posture, adapting the D-ISIS Coalition to an evolving threat from ISIS in the Middle East and globally, and enhancing military support for Ukraine," reads the statement. It pointed out that Secretary Austin will then attend the first-ever G7 Defense Ministers Meeting October 19 in Naples, Italy, where he will also meet with Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto and the n ew Minister of Defense of Japan, Nakatani Gen. "The discussions at the G7 will center on ensuring continued security assistance for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's aggression, addressing the urgent need to deescalate tensions in the Middle East, exchanging views on the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, discussing support for partners in Africa, and fostering additional cooperation on defense industry issues among the world's leading democratic economies," the Pentagon statement added. It noted that Secretary Austin will also conclude his trip with official engagements in Vatican City. Source: Kuwait News Agency