Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will travel to Brussels, Belgium, next week to participate in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and the NATO Defense Ministerial at NATO Headquarters. The Feb. 15 meeting will be the first Defense Ministerial since October 2022.
While in Brussels, Sec. Austin will be joined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley to conduct an in-person meeting Feb. 14 of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. This will be the ninth meeting of the UDCG since the international group was formed in April 2022. They will join ministers of defense and chiefs of defense from 50 nations from around the world to discuss Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, and the continued close coordination to provide the Ukrainian people with the means necessary to defend their sovereign territory.
After Belgium, Sec. Austin will make additional stops in Estonia and Germany later in the week to visit local leaders and meet with U.S. and allied service members.
Media Program (All times in Central European Time):
14 Feb:
10 a.m. – Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meeting, Opening remarks by Secretary Austin
5:45 p.m. – Press conference with Secretary Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley
15 Feb:
2 p.m. – Press conference with Secretary Austin
Live-Stream Option
A live-stream of Secretary Austin's opening remarks and the press conferences will be available on https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/ and CCTV at NATO HQ.
