Secretary Blinken Travels to Germany
Office of the Spokesperson
“We are working with our allies and partners to maximize evacuations out of Afghanistan, and we deeply appreciate Germany’s assistance and the incredible efforts taking place at @RamsteinAirBase to assist those seeking refuge.”
—Secretary Antony J. Blinken, August 23, 2021
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany on September 8, 2021, to visit Ramstein Air Base and observe ongoing operations there. Secretary Blinken met with German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas to express gratitude to Germany for being an unwavering partner in Afghanistan for the past 20 years and for its cooperation in relocating individuals from Afghanistan.
The United States and Germany: United in Common Purpose
- The United States and Germany enjoy a close relationship and Alliance, built on mutual commitments to democracy, freedom, trade, rule of law, security, and prosperity. The United States and Germany cooperate through several multilateral institutions, including NATO, the G7, the OSCE, and the UN, as well as through our U.S.-EU partnership, to advance security, democratic values, and the rule of law globally.
- As engaged and dedicated NATO Allies, American and German servicemembers have proudly served side by side in Afghanistan and our two countries remain committed to close Transatlantic defense cooperation. Joint training and capacity building exercises are regularly performed at U.S. military installations in Germany. Germany was a Resolute Support Framework Nation and had the second largest military contingent in Afghanistan after the United States.
U.S. Appreciation for Germany’s Steadfast Cooperation
- The United States deeply appreciates Germany’s cooperation in assisting with the airlift of people wishing to leave Afghanistan, including American citizens and at-risk Afghans seeking refuge.
- We are grateful for the use of facilities like Ramstein Air Base in the massive effort to help relocate these vulnerable people, and are committed to ensuring these individuals, who have endured hardship and difficulty, reach safety at their onward destinations in the United States and other locations.
- Already, more than 30,000 people are transiting through Ramstein on their way to start new lives in the United States and elsewhere. This extraordinary and historic humanitarian act will never be forgotten.
