Deputy Minister Šrámek began the consultations by meeting with his counterpart, Assistant Secretary Nuland. He also met with Deputy Assistant Secretaries Conrad Tribble, Kathleen Kavalec and Hoyt Yee. The topics discussed during the consultations included security issues related to Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, the current situation in the Middle East, and questions of defence and energy security. In addition, Deputy Minister Šrámek discussed transatlantic cooperation with the Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, Charles Kupchan, and with other White House senior officials responsible for current foreign policy issues.

Both sides agreed on the gravity of the present situation in Syria. In this regard, US partners appreciated the role of the Czech Embassy in Damascus representing US interests in Syria. In connection with the ongoing offensive against Islamist positions in Iraq’s Mosul, both sides noted the fundamental importance of the US-led coalition in which the Czech Republic takes an active part. Regarding the enhancement of defence cooperation with the EU, the Czech and US sides agreed on the necessity to continue the EU-NATO coordination in the security area. Furthermore, both partners discussed the future cooperation between the Czech Republic and the USA in the area of cyber security.

Photo description: Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Šrámek with Jeffrey Prescott (on the left) and Charles Kupchan (on the right) from the US National Security Council