WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, today announced that they traveled to North Africa and Europe last week, where they met with allies in the region to discuss a number of national security issues, including the threat from Russian aggression, terrorism in the Middle East and the importance of U.S. partnerships with European and North African allies.
Coons led the bipartisan, bicameral delegation that met with ambassadors, members of parliament, military, civic and business leaders and other top officials in Morocco, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Estonia and Iceland. In addition to trade and commerce, topics of discussion included America’s commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and contributions of Arab allies in countering terrorism.
“At a time when many of our allies are threatened by aggressive behavior from Russia and concerned about divisive rhetoric here in the United States, our congressional delegation made it clear that America will continue stand by our partners and our commitments,” said Senator Coons. “For decades, the United States and our allies have stood for freedom, stability, and the rule of law. That’s why the world looks to us for leadership fighting terrorism, rallying the international community, and standing up for democratic principles. In America, these values have long transcended partisan politics. That’s why it was so important to have a bipartisan delegation traveling to hear directly from the civil, military, and government leaders in the five countries we visited. I thank Senator Peters and our colleagues for joining me on this important trip.”
“As a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I am always focused on protecting the security and safety of Americans at home and abroad. Many regions of the world are gripped with chaos and violence, and it is highly concerning that Russia is sowing more instability and uncertainty. As Vladimir Putin seeks to expand Russia’s territory and influence and divide our allies, it is critical that the U.S. maintain our commitment to NATO to protect American interests and security,” said Senator Peters, a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “Recent political rhetoric in the presidential election has caused some of our allies to question America’s commitment to our shared goals of peace and prosperity. I was pleased to join Senator Coons and our colleagues in affirming the United States’ willingness to work with both our Arab Muslim partners working to counter terrorism and our European allies facing an increasingly assertive Russia.”
