U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone, on March 15th, with French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss the situation in Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.
“Secretary Hagel and Minister Le Drian affirmed the solidarity of the NATO alliance and discussed the importance of the United States and France continuing to working closely with one another to support Central and Eastern European allies,” Kirby said in a statement summarizing the call.
The two defense leaders discussed their respective reviews of bilateral military cooperation with Russia, he added, and they pledged that senior officials from both the United States and France will continue to remain in close touch on those matters in the days ahead.
Hagel and Le Drian also discussed ongoing U.S. assistance to French operations in Africa, Kirby said.
[mappress] Press Release, March 17, 2014, 2014; Image: Wikimedia