WEBVTT 00:00.034 --> 00:03.284 (reporters chattering) 00:14.860 --> 00:16.970 - So good afternoon, everyone. 00:16.970 --> 00:19.960 70 years ago today, 00:19.960 --> 00:23.630 12 courageous nations came together to form an alliance 00:23.630 --> 00:26.600 that to this day remains the bedrock guarantor 00:26.600 --> 00:29.240 of Western security and democratic liberties. 00:29.240 --> 00:33.310 Today, our 29 nations believe in our founding mission. 00:33.310 --> 00:36.140 We believe in deterrence to keep the peace. 00:36.140 --> 00:37.530 We believe in our common defense, 00:37.530 --> 00:41.010 as captured in Article 5 of the treaty. 00:41.010 --> 00:42.650 We believe that Western democratic ideals 00:42.650 --> 00:45.863 are worth defending, and defend them we will. 00:47.300 --> 00:48.960 Our nations have inherited a strong alliance 00:48.960 --> 00:50.950 because our predecessors had the wisdom 00:50.950 --> 00:54.483 to continue to adapt to the challenges at hand. 00:55.370 --> 00:56.600 And now it's our duty 00:57.720 --> 01:01.020 to adapt to the challenges like radical Islamic terrorism, 01:01.020 --> 01:04.390 cyber attacks, uncontrolled migration, 01:04.390 --> 01:06.040 Chinese strategic competition, 01:06.040 --> 01:08.943 and indeed, still, Russian aggression. 01:10.080 --> 01:12.970 Today, we had wide-ranging, robust discussions. 01:12.970 --> 01:17.220 We took important decisions on urgent problem sets. 01:17.220 --> 01:20.150 Vladimir Putin harbors dark dreams of imperialism. 01:20.150 --> 01:22.960 This is evident from his invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, 01:22.960 --> 01:27.170 his meddling in Syria, and now in Venezuela. 01:27.170 --> 01:28.900 He wants to split our alliance 01:28.900 --> 01:31.497 and weaken our democratic resolve. 01:31.497 --> 01:34.360 In light of Russia's attacks on Western democracies, 01:34.360 --> 01:37.600 we agreed to improve our defenses against hybrid warfare, 01:37.600 --> 01:39.880 develop new strategies to deter it, 01:39.880 --> 01:42.483 and identify prompt and effective responses. 01:43.520 --> 01:45.283 We also discussed terrorism. 01:46.150 --> 01:48.120 NATO plays a key role in the fight 01:48.120 --> 01:49.380 against Islamist terrorism 01:49.380 --> 01:52.080 both inside and outside of our alliance. 01:52.080 --> 01:54.790 The U.S. especially appreciates NATO's commitment 01:54.790 --> 01:56.773 to the NATO mission in Iraq. 01:57.880 --> 02:01.560 For nearly 18 years, NATO allies and partners 02:01.560 --> 02:03.840 have fought terrorism in Afghanistan. 02:03.840 --> 02:06.020 We've trained and advised and assisted 02:06.020 --> 02:08.573 the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. 02:08.573 --> 02:10.810 I updated our NATO counterparts 02:10.810 --> 02:13.570 on the work of Ambassador Khalilzad 02:13.570 --> 02:16.400 and his diplomatic undertaking 02:16.400 --> 02:18.763 that he is executing at my direction. 02:19.830 --> 02:22.360 The United States will ensure that our collective sacrifices 02:22.360 --> 02:24.210 are not wasted and that terrorists can never again 02:24.210 --> 02:26.983 threaten us from Afghanistan's soil. 02:28.940 --> 02:30.800 Lastly, we discussed burden sharing. 02:30.800 --> 02:33.030 No alliance can survive without proper investment 02:33.030 --> 02:35.330 from all of its partners. 02:35.330 --> 02:36.850 Our allies have joined the United States 02:36.850 --> 02:39.960 in recognizing the need for greater burden sharing, 02:39.960 --> 02:41.750 each and every one of them. 02:41.750 --> 02:44.460 I am pleased to say that since 2016 02:44.460 --> 02:47.063 our allies have pledged 41 billion, 02:48.059 --> 02:50.800 and that number will increase to 100 billion 02:50.800 --> 02:53.940 by the end of next year, 2020. 02:53.940 --> 02:54.870 That's no small feat. 02:54.870 --> 02:56.370 It's money well spent. 02:56.370 --> 02:58.927 Nations who have contributed should be proud. 02:58.927 --> 03:03.210 You have the deep gratitude of President Trump for that. 03:03.210 --> 03:06.250 But I told them too there's more work to do. 03:06.250 --> 03:08.490 It's important for them to make the case 03:08.490 --> 03:11.900 to their citizenry for why this collective deterrence 03:11.900 --> 03:15.250 remains important, that spending commitments matter, 03:15.250 --> 03:17.383 they lead to political solidarity. 03:18.494 --> 03:19.890 As a military alliance, 03:19.890 --> 03:21.830 our officers should be second to none. 03:21.830 --> 03:24.080 It's self-evident that our armies, navies, and air forces 03:24.080 --> 03:26.080 must be fully trained and equipped 03:26.080 --> 03:29.720 and ready to go when called upon in conflict or crisis. 03:29.720 --> 03:32.010 At the Leaders Summit last July, 03:32.010 --> 03:33.500 we took a major step forward 03:33.500 --> 03:35.770 in agreeing to the Four Thirties Initiative. 03:35.770 --> 03:38.693 Now it is time for us to fulfill those goals. 03:39.950 --> 03:42.450 70 years ago, the great Dean Acheson 03:42.450 --> 03:43.867 said that the NATO alliance was, quote, 03:43.867 --> 03:46.260 "a statement of the facts and lessons of history," 03:46.260 --> 03:47.800 end of quote. 03:47.800 --> 03:50.290 He knew that if free nations do not stand together, 03:50.290 --> 03:52.500 they will fall one by one. 03:52.500 --> 03:53.833 The same is true today. 03:54.750 --> 03:55.820 As for the United States, 03:55.820 --> 03:58.630 we will continue to bear our fair share. 03:58.630 --> 04:00.290 We will continue to lead within NATO, 04:00.290 --> 04:01.880 and by doing so we will defend the freedoms 04:01.880 --> 04:05.280 of the American people and the people of our allies. 04:05.280 --> 04:06.980 I'm happy to take a few questions. 04:08.810 --> 04:12.213 - [Robert] We'll start off with Latvia TV, Ina Strazdina. 04:17.490 --> 04:18.490 - Thank you so much. 04:19.480 --> 04:22.780 Mr. Pompeo, Ina Strazdina, Latvian Television. 04:22.780 --> 04:26.200 Seeing growing aggression of Russia, 04:26.200 --> 04:29.800 do you see that NATO presence in the Baltics is sufficient, 04:29.800 --> 04:33.973 or would you see even plans to strengthen it even more? 04:35.551 --> 04:36.550 Thank you. 04:36.550 --> 04:38.408 - So there's lots of discussion always, 04:38.408 --> 04:39.969 at this meeting, at the summit, 04:39.969 --> 04:42.490 at the Leaders Meeting last July, 04:42.490 --> 04:44.440 about proper allocation of resources. 04:44.440 --> 04:45.740 Where are the right places? 04:45.740 --> 04:47.270 Where do we need to do more? 04:47.270 --> 04:49.660 We've certainly talked about that as a geographic matter, 04:49.660 --> 04:50.780 so I don't have anything to add 04:50.780 --> 04:53.260 with respect to the Baltic states today. 04:53.260 --> 04:54.930 But it's not just a geographic matter. 04:54.930 --> 04:58.490 We've also talked about new challenges that face us, right? 04:58.490 --> 05:02.130 So telecommunication systems, infrastructure, 05:02.130 --> 05:03.970 cyber, hybrid warfare, 05:03.970 --> 05:07.110 things that aren't resolved by more troops 05:07.110 --> 05:08.150 sitting on the ground someplace 05:08.150 --> 05:10.920 but which present risk to the Baltics, 05:10.920 --> 05:12.610 to all of your, to all the NATO partners, 05:12.610 --> 05:14.800 including the United States and Canada as well. 05:14.800 --> 05:17.050 So we're trying to make sure that our resources, 05:17.050 --> 05:20.390 our focus, are meeting the challenges of today. 05:20.390 --> 05:22.330 We talked a lot about it, the 70th anniversary, 05:22.330 --> 05:24.740 we talked a lot about the history of the founders 05:24.740 --> 05:28.500 of the 12 nations that began this important alliance, 05:28.500 --> 05:32.010 and the fact that it's now our time, the leaders of today, 05:32.010 --> 05:33.540 to take on the mantle and the challenges 05:33.540 --> 05:35.440 that the world presents to NATO today. 05:37.210 --> 05:40.923 - [Robert] Let's go to BBC, Barbara Plett Usher. 05:44.250 --> 05:47.117 - Test, test, it's working now. 05:47.117 --> 05:48.720 Mr. Secretary, on Turkey. 05:48.720 --> 05:51.390 The Turks are disputing your readout of the meeting 05:51.390 --> 05:53.770 you had with the Turkish foreign minister this week. 05:53.770 --> 05:55.130 So my question is: 05:55.130 --> 05:58.674 Have you made any progress in meetings this week 05:58.674 --> 06:02.640 on issues like the S-400s and northern Syria, 06:02.640 --> 06:05.010 or have things actually gotten worse? 06:05.010 --> 06:07.930 And then I have another question about China. 06:07.930 --> 06:10.770 NATO allies have not followed U.S. requests 06:10.770 --> 06:12.990 to cut off Huawei. 06:12.990 --> 06:16.060 So do you think that that could become a risk 06:16.060 --> 06:18.670 for intelligence sharing and military communications 06:18.670 --> 06:20.490 in the alliance in the future? 06:20.490 --> 06:21.810 - So as for the first question, 06:21.810 --> 06:25.320 I reread, I saw the comments by my Turkish counterpart. 06:25.320 --> 06:29.260 I reread the readout of our meeting, spot on. 06:29.260 --> 06:30.560 Stand by every word of it. 06:31.610 --> 06:32.443 - [Barbara] Have you made any progress? 06:32.443 --> 06:34.240 - We are continuing to have conversations. 06:34.240 --> 06:36.010 I think the Turkish Government understands 06:36.010 --> 06:37.560 the American position quite clearly. 06:37.560 --> 06:38.810 I think I heard the Vice President 06:38.810 --> 06:41.148 speak to that yesterday as well. 06:41.148 --> 06:44.290 Our position hasn't changed. 06:44.290 --> 06:46.490 There's great opportunities for the United States and Turkey 06:46.490 --> 06:47.750 to work closely together, 06:47.750 --> 06:51.200 and I had a good, long conversation with my, 06:51.200 --> 06:53.210 with the Turkish foreign minister yesterday, 06:53.210 --> 06:56.250 and I am very confident we'll find a path forward. 06:56.250 --> 06:59.150 As for the risks associated with the installation 06:59.150 --> 07:02.850 of Chinese technology in systems related to security, 07:02.850 --> 07:05.340 there is undoubtedly the risk 07:05.340 --> 07:08.010 that NATO or the United States will not be able 07:08.010 --> 07:09.439 to share information in the same way it could 07:09.439 --> 07:12.310 if there were not Chinese systems 07:12.310 --> 07:15.068 inside of those networks, inside of those capabilities. 07:15.068 --> 07:17.320 We've done our risk analysis in the United States; 07:17.320 --> 07:20.010 we have now shared that with our NATO partners, 07:20.010 --> 07:21.860 with countries all around the world. 07:21.860 --> 07:24.810 They understand the concerns, not our concerns, 07:24.810 --> 07:28.570 but the factual concerns associated with companies 07:28.570 --> 07:32.040 so deeply connected to their own government 07:32.040 --> 07:33.680 who would be willing to act 07:33.680 --> 07:35.350 at the behest of their government, 07:35.350 --> 07:37.640 the risk that that presents to information management. 07:37.640 --> 07:39.190 And we have made clear 07:39.190 --> 07:41.150 that if the risk exceeds the threshold 07:41.150 --> 07:43.430 for the United States, we simply won't be able 07:43.430 --> 07:45.440 to share that information any longer. 07:45.440 --> 07:48.570 And our task is to do education, make sure they understand, 07:48.570 --> 07:51.330 every sovereign nation that will make its own decision, 07:51.330 --> 07:54.570 and then the United States will make its decision. 07:54.570 --> 07:57.803 - [Robert] Let's go to Italy, La Stampa, Paolo Mastrolilli. 07:59.010 --> 08:00.880 - Thank you very much, two questions. 08:00.880 --> 08:03.920 Today, the Libyan General Haftar order his troops 08:03.920 --> 08:05.020 to march on Tripoli. 08:05.020 --> 08:07.380 Did you discuss them, this issue 08:07.380 --> 08:10.170 in terms of the terroristic threats from the south? 08:10.170 --> 08:11.830 And the second question, 08:11.830 --> 08:16.080 Italy signed BRI Initiative with China. 08:16.080 --> 08:17.820 Do you consider that to be a threat 08:17.820 --> 08:19.993 to the interoperability of NATO? 08:21.490 --> 08:23.743 - So with respect to the first question, 08:23.743 --> 08:25.970 let me, I don't have anything to add. 08:25.970 --> 08:28.360 We're following closely what has been taking place there 08:28.360 --> 08:30.810 over the past weeks and months. 08:30.810 --> 08:32.993 We have been following the UN process, 08:33.920 --> 08:35.210 trying to do the best we can 08:35.210 --> 08:39.320 to be a positive force to deliver a good solution 08:39.320 --> 08:40.730 for the people of Libya 08:40.730 --> 08:44.232 and increase stability there, to be sure. 08:44.232 --> 08:48.678 Second, as I said in response to the previous question, 08:48.678 --> 08:52.190 every country has to make its own decisions 08:52.190 --> 08:53.720 about how it wants to respond 08:53.720 --> 08:56.580 to Chinese debt-trap diplomacy 08:56.580 --> 09:01.220 or Chinese efforts to sell goods at below market. 09:01.220 --> 09:04.900 They clearly have a security component to the transaction. 09:04.900 --> 09:06.840 But each nation will make its own choices. 09:06.840 --> 09:10.500 Then the task falls to every other country to observe that, 09:10.500 --> 09:12.770 see what risk it presents to them 09:12.770 --> 09:14.850 if they begin to engage in those systems, 09:14.850 --> 09:17.322 in that infrastructure, that IT infrastructure 09:17.322 --> 09:19.960 or transportation infrastructure, 09:19.960 --> 09:21.323 and respond to that threat. 09:22.735 --> 09:25.774 - [Robert] Germany, DPA, Ansgar Haase. 09:25.774 --> 09:27.502 - Let me just add one thing to that. 09:27.502 --> 09:30.470 It is one thing to compete in an open, 09:30.470 --> 09:32.240 fair, transparent way. 09:32.240 --> 09:33.580 The United States is prepared to compete 09:33.580 --> 09:35.930 with our NATO allies, with China, 09:35.930 --> 09:37.270 with any country that shows up 09:37.270 --> 09:40.040 with a commercial transaction, a better mousetrap, 09:40.040 --> 09:44.930 a better idea, and compete with fair, 09:44.930 --> 09:47.443 reasonable, transparent transactions. 09:49.391 --> 09:51.200 It is a very different thing 09:52.060 --> 09:53.850 to engage in transactions that have 09:53.850 --> 09:55.310 a national security component to them. 09:55.310 --> 09:57.210 When a nation shows up 09:57.210 --> 10:00.650 and offers you goods that are well below market, 10:00.650 --> 10:02.400 one ought to ask what else is at play, 10:02.400 --> 10:04.870 why it was that that entity showed up 10:04.870 --> 10:07.453 with a deal that is literally too good to be true. 10:09.700 --> 10:10.860 - [Robert] DPA, please. 10:10.860 --> 10:13.920 - Thanks, Maren Hennemuth, DPA. 10:13.920 --> 10:15.920 The President and the Vice President 10:15.920 --> 10:17.430 have been quite clear 10:17.430 --> 10:21.890 that they want Germany to step up on defense spending. 10:21.890 --> 10:24.820 So, but according to the latest projection, 10:24.820 --> 10:29.704 they won't even reach 1.5 percent in 2024. 10:29.704 --> 10:34.704 What concrete consequences is the U.S. considering 10:35.680 --> 10:36.980 if they don't step up? 10:36.980 --> 10:39.450 Do you have any steps in mind, 10:39.450 --> 10:41.683 like withdrawing troops from Germany? 10:43.075 --> 10:48.075 - It's important to step back just a bit. 10:49.400 --> 10:52.823 Remember that this notion of 2% isn't made up. 10:53.760 --> 10:55.760 It wasn't created by this administration 10:55.760 --> 10:57.300 in the United States, it wasn't created 10:57.300 --> 11:00.300 by the previous administration in the United States. 11:00.300 --> 11:04.810 It was a commitment that every NATO ally agreed to in Wales. 11:04.810 --> 11:07.550 That includes Germany, who committed to that. 11:07.550 --> 11:10.500 So the promise that is being fulfilled 11:10.500 --> 11:14.210 is a promise that the German Government made. 11:14.210 --> 11:15.620 So we're very hopeful, 11:15.620 --> 11:18.020 and we're very hopeful that they will get it right, 11:18.020 --> 11:19.939 that they will understand that it is important 11:19.939 --> 11:22.450 for our collective defense, 11:22.450 --> 11:25.633 and we will urge them to continue to do so. 11:27.058 --> 11:28.608 - [Robert] Norway, Aftenposten. 11:40.640 --> 11:41.920 Please, go ahead. 11:41.920 --> 11:43.860 - I just wanted to ask you, Secretary, 11:43.860 --> 11:45.110 I'm from Spain, from ABC. 11:46.810 --> 11:50.280 Did you manage to talk about Venezuela 11:50.280 --> 11:53.600 and the presence of Russian troops in Venezuela 11:53.600 --> 11:55.150 as a part of the meeting today, 11:55.150 --> 11:57.892 and what's your position regarding those 100 soldiers 11:57.892 --> 12:01.510 that, according to Special Envoy Abrams, 12:01.510 --> 12:03.283 were calibrating a missile system? 12:05.120 --> 12:06.960 - We did talk about Venezuela. 12:06.960 --> 12:09.816 The American position was made clear by President Trump. 12:09.816 --> 12:11.983 They need to, they need to leave. 12:12.840 --> 12:14.360 And we talked about that. 12:14.360 --> 12:17.620 We talked about that in the context of Russian efforts 12:17.620 --> 12:20.140 all around the world, whether that's efforts in Ukraine, 12:20.140 --> 12:24.640 the Russians' continued malign activity in Syria. 12:24.640 --> 12:26.760 We talked about it in Venezuela, 12:26.760 --> 12:28.710 we talked about what they did in the Sea of Azov. 12:28.710 --> 12:30.600 In each case we are doing our best, 12:30.600 --> 12:31.880 collectively, to respond. 12:31.880 --> 12:33.550 In the case of Venezuela, 12:33.550 --> 12:36.883 the United States has its responses being prepared as well. 12:38.820 --> 12:40.863 - [Robert] Let's do one more question. 12:43.750 --> 12:45.380 Sir, in the pink shirt back there. 12:45.380 --> 12:46.213 Please, yes. 12:49.612 --> 12:51.530 - Hello, my name is Farhad Pouladi. 12:51.530 --> 12:54.040 I'm with the Voice of America Persian Service. 12:54.040 --> 12:57.970 In your morning's remark, you said NATO should seek peace 12:57.970 --> 13:01.040 through strength in era of great power competition 13:01.040 --> 13:03.830 from Russia, China, and Islamic Republic of Iran. 13:03.830 --> 13:06.110 So my question is this: 13:06.110 --> 13:09.210 What challenges the NATO and specifically U.S. 13:09.210 --> 13:11.920 is facing from regime in Tehran? 13:11.920 --> 13:13.272 Thank you. 13:13.272 --> 13:14.823 - The list is long, 13:14.823 --> 13:17.760 but let me speak about it in countries other, 13:17.760 --> 13:19.620 the risk to countries other than the United States. 13:19.620 --> 13:20.940 I have articulated the threat 13:20.940 --> 13:23.210 that we believe the Islamic Republic of Iran 13:23.210 --> 13:24.578 presents to our country. 13:24.578 --> 13:27.160 They are many. 13:27.160 --> 13:28.960 We've asked the Islamic Republic of Iran 13:28.960 --> 13:30.770 to simply behave like a normal nation, 13:30.770 --> 13:33.910 but give me, let me give you a concrete example. 13:33.910 --> 13:36.220 Today there continues to be 13:36.220 --> 13:38.580 a concerted assassination effort, 13:38.580 --> 13:41.020 campaign, inside of Europe. 13:41.020 --> 13:41.853 We've seen it. 13:41.853 --> 13:44.788 You've seen European countries respond to this threat. 13:44.788 --> 13:46.190 This is real. 13:46.190 --> 13:49.560 This is, this isn't something that was made up. 13:49.560 --> 13:53.560 This is an effort by the leaders 13:53.560 --> 13:57.160 of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the president, Rouhani, 13:57.160 --> 14:01.410 who's the president of Iran, is permitting to take place, 14:01.410 --> 14:02.590 where they're going to Europe 14:02.590 --> 14:05.420 and killing people on European soil. 14:05.420 --> 14:09.980 This is unacceptable in Western Europe. 14:09.980 --> 14:12.080 To allow something like this to happen is just unacceptable. 14:12.080 --> 14:14.440 We are working with our partners all around Europe 14:14.440 --> 14:16.760 to make sure we all have the right information 14:16.760 --> 14:18.830 placed in the right place at the right time 14:18.830 --> 14:21.590 to reduce this risk and reduce this threat. 14:21.590 --> 14:24.940 But a second component of this is the deterrence effort, 14:24.940 --> 14:26.810 which is the undertaking that the United States 14:26.810 --> 14:29.910 is engaged in to reduce the capacity 14:29.910 --> 14:31.550 of the Islamic Republic of Iran 14:31.550 --> 14:34.840 to undertake precisely this kind of activity 14:34.840 --> 14:36.126 by sanctioning them in a way 14:36.126 --> 14:40.850 that forces them to have fewer resources 14:40.850 --> 14:43.530 so that they can create these risks around the world. 14:43.530 --> 14:46.120 I'll give you a second one we spent time on today. 14:46.120 --> 14:49.340 There are European foreign terrorist fighters 14:49.340 --> 14:51.889 sitting today in Iraq and in Syria 14:51.889 --> 14:54.500 that we now have to figure out a way 14:54.500 --> 14:58.720 to make sure do not return to the jihadi battlefield. 14:58.720 --> 15:01.360 The efforts that Iran is engaged in 15:01.360 --> 15:05.820 in Syria fundamentally make that problem set more difficult, 15:05.820 --> 15:09.220 as do Iranian Shia militias that are not under the control 15:09.220 --> 15:11.890 of the Iraqi Security Forces in Iraq. 15:11.890 --> 15:16.470 That malign activity by Iran makes Europe, 15:16.470 --> 15:18.420 NATO countries, less secure. 15:18.420 --> 15:19.253 We talked about those, 15:19.253 --> 15:21.160 we talked about how we would collectively 15:21.160 --> 15:24.940 seek to approach them to reduce the risk to NATO members. 15:24.940 --> 15:26.468 Great, thank you all very much for being with me today. 15:26.468 --> 15:27.301 - [Robert] Thank you all. 15:27.301 --> 15:28.134 Thank you, Mr. Secretary. 15:30.216 --> 15:33.799 (camera shutters clicking)