Deputy Secretary Sherman’s trip to Switzerland and Belgium
Washington, DC (STL.News) The US State Department published the following statement:
Deputy Foreign Minister Wendy R. Sherman will travel to Switzerland and Belgium from January 8-13. The trip follows an extensive diplomacy with our European allies and partners in developing a common approach to Russia’s unprovoked military build-up along Ukraine’s borders and our joint efforts to encourage Russia to choose diplomacy and in the interests of Euro-Atlantic security and stability de-escalate.
The Deputy Secretary will lead the US delegation’s participation in an extraordinary session of the US-Russia Bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue (SSD) in Geneva on January 10th. It will be joined by Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Chris Robinson. Deputy Deputy Minister of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia Laura K. Cooper and Lt. Gen. James J. Mingus will represent the Department of Defense. They are accompanied by an inter-agency delegation from the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Council, the Defense Ministry and the joint staff. The bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue previously held regular plenary sessions in July and September 2021, after the meeting of President Biden and President Putin in June 2021. The NATO-Ukraine Commission will also take place on January 10, and the US will be represented by Ambassador Julie . represented blacksmith.
The Deputy Secretary will then travel to Brussels from January 11-12 to hold talks with NATO leadership, NATO allies and EU officials in order to continue our close coordination on European security in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine . On January 11, she will meet with representatives of the EU institutions and, together with the allies, prepare for the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. On January 12, Deputy Secretary of State Sherman will lead the US delegation to the NATO-Russia Council meeting.
The Deputy Secretary’s participation in the SSD, NATO and EU consultations is part of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions caused by Russia’s military build-up and ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Our diplomatic commitments will continue with the first session of the OSCE Permanent Council in 2022 on January 13, at which Ambassador Michael Carpenter will lead US participation. The OSCE is an important place for multilateral dialogue on European security issues.