Deputy Secretary of Defense Spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson provided the following readout:
Today, Deputy Secretary Work welcomed German State Secretary Katrin Suder to the Pentagon, where they discussed a range of topics.
During the meeting, the leaders discussed Russian aggression; the bilateral security cooperation relationship between the U.S. and Germany; counter-ISIL efforts; Afghanistan and the Third Offset Strategy. They both emphasized the importance of NATO unity against Russian aggression and discussed ways to work together to support NATO reassurance measures. They discussed the ongoing mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan forces as they confront the Taliban, secure their country, and work toward preventing terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a safe haven. Additionally, they discussed ways to sustain robust military capabilities in fiscally constrained times and noted the strategic, operational, and tactical benefits of defense cooperation for both nations.
The deputy secretary and state secretary expressed mutual appreciation for the strong military relationship between the United States and Germany.
Work thanked Germany for their continuing efforts in NATO, leadership in Afghanistan, and support to Iraqi Kurdish forces in fighting ISIL. Finally, Work thanked Suder for Germany's continued cooperation, bilaterally and multilaterally, in a changing European and global defense environment.