Secretary Blinken’s Trilateral Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne and UK Foreign Secretary Truss on AUKUS

Office of the Spokesperson

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss held a trilateral meeting today on the margins of the Munich Security Conference.  In particular, they discussed progress made in implementing initiatives within the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, which is focused on sustaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Secretary Blinken, Foreign Minister Payne, and Foreign Secretary Truss discussed the importance of ensuring the first AUKUS initiative – Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy – be done in a manner that sets a strong nonproliferation example.  They also noted our collective desire to deepen collaboration on additional advanced military and technology capabilities.  Secretary Blinken underscored the importance of working with our allies and partners to advance a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.