The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský about the latest developments in Syria, where Czechia has served as the protecting power for U.S. interests since 2012. The Secretary affirmed the U.S. desire to continue this arrangement and expressed appreciation for Czechia’s willingness to help U.S. citizens in Syria, even after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. During their call, Secretary Blinken also highlighted other areas of cooperation reflecting our deeply-shared values, including Czechia’s significant military, political, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine; collaboration on Taiwan and the strategic challenges posed by the PRC; and efforts to increase defense spending and strengthen NATO’s collective defense, including through the acquisition of U.S.-made F-35s—the largest military procurement in Czechia’s history.
