Washington, DC - House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the below statement following Secretary of State Blinken’s participation in this week’s NATO Foreign Ministerial. NATO continues to serve as the vital transatlantic forum to address shared security challenges, including terrorism, and the malign activities of the Putin regime and the Chinese Communist Party.
“I am pleased Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the United States’ enduring commitment to the NATO alliance and Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. As we approach the May 1st deadline outlined in the U.S.-Taliban agreement for withdrawal from Afghanistan, it is critical that the U.S. and our NATO allies remain committed to staying until the mission is complete and ensure any future withdrawal is based on conditions on the ground, not an arbitrary timeline. This is the only way to preserve the gains of the last 20 years in Afghanistan, and to honor the sacrifices made by the U.S. and our NATO allies to achieve those gains.".
