Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with his French and UK counterparts June 6 in Bayeux, France. The meeting took place on the margins of commemorations for the 79th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy. The leaders drew parallels between the bonds of our Alliance today with those of 79 years ago, when we fought alongside one another to liberate Europe and create a world where democracy would flourish.
During their first in-person meeting in this trilateral format, the leaders reiterated their ironclad commitment to supporting Ukraine in its brave defense against Russia's unjust war, and were united in their intent to continue providing security assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for as long as it takes. The leaders also discussed core priorities for the NATO Summit in July, concerns about Iranian malign activity, and cooperation on Indo-Pacific security.
