Defense Chiefs Of US, France, Germany, UK Discuss Afghanistan Pullout, NATO - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2021) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin addressed the pullout from Afghanistan and efforts to enhance the NATO during a meeting with French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly, German Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a readout on Tuesday.

"The four leaders agreed on the importance of continued close cooperation to strengthen the NATO Alliance, complete an orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, uphold a rules-based international order, and counter the malign influence of shared strategic competitors," Kirby said.

The Quad meeting took place in Brussels and became the first Euro Quad Ministerial since 2014, Kirby noted.

"The leaders discussed the implementation of deliverables from the June 14 NATO Summit and how the Alliance can best adapt to face increasing regional and global security challenges in an era of strategic competition," he added.

In a separate release, Kirby revealed that Austin also separately met with France's Parly to talk about the NATO Summit, security in Africa, as well as the situation in Lebanon among other matters.