Secretary Carter met with the Netherlands Minister of Defense Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert at the NATO Defense Ministerial to discuss U.S.-Dutch defense partnership, commitment to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), and European security.
In their second meeting, Secretary Carter thanked Minister Hennis-Plasschaert for the Netherlands partnership with the VJTF and for making progress toward fulfilling the Wales Pledge. Carter expressed America's firm commitment to transatlantic security, citing Operation Atlantic Resolve. The secretary also thanked the minister for the Netherlands contributions of trainers and air strikes to the Counter-ISIL Coalition and for their support of United Nations peacekeeping operations.