Secretary Blinken’s Call with French Foreign Minister Le Drian

Office of the Spokesperson

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian today about joint efforts by NATO Allies, EU partners, G7 members, and other partners to address Russia’s continued military build-up on Ukraine’s borders. They stressed the importance of continuing to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensuring Russia understands the high costs it would incur if it were to invade Ukraine further. The two spoke about ongoing efforts by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to help Armenia and Azerbaijan resolve all outstanding issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Secretary Blinken and FM Le Drian reviewed ongoing developments in the Sahel region of Africa. Secretary Blinken also raised the importance of NATO’s engagement with Asia-Pacific partners. He noted France’s leadership role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed additional areas for cooperation on that effort.