Joint press point

Chancellor Merkel, dear Angela,
it’s great to see you again.

And thank you for hosting me once again here in Berlin, and thank you for your strong personal commitment to our transatlantic Alliance. And for your strong leadership.

This is especially important as Germany holds the presidency of the European Union. And I’m confident that we will see cooperation between NATO and the EU grow even closer.
We are all concerned about the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. And I welcome your efforts to find a constructive way forward.

I am in constant touch with Greece and Turkey. My message is that the situation must be resolved in a spirit of Allied solidarity, and in line with international law.
Dialogue and de-escalation are in everybody’s interest.

We are watching developments in Belarus closely. This is a crisis unfolding on our borders. It is for the people of Belarus to determine their own future. All NATO Allies support a sovereign and independent Belarus. The regime in Minsk must demonstrate full respect for fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest.
NATO has no military build-up in the region. So any attempt to use that as an excuse to crack down on peaceful protesters is absolutely unjustified.  

NATO is about Europe and North America working together to keep our nations safe. The United States have announced adjustments in their military presence in Europe while remaining committed to European security.
It is important that Allies continue to consult closely. Because US presence in Europe is important both for the security of  
Europe, and for the security of the US.
So I look forward to our discussions at this important time.
And many thanks once again for your strong personal leadership and commitment to peace and security.
Thank you so much.