The United States and the United Kingdom convened the annual Bilateral Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Leadership Group (BCLG) plenary session on September 10 and 11 at the UK Ministry of Defense in London. Department of Defense Spokesperson Lisa Lawrence provided a statement regarding the event.
Senior representatives from both nations participated, including Gary Martin, UK Director of Operational Policy; Rear Admiral Paul Stroude, UK Director of Capability; Dr. Brandi C. Vann, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs; and Nina Wagner, Principal Deputy to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy.
The discussions covered regional and emerging chemical and biological threats such as Russia's use of chemical agents in Ukraine. The agenda also included ongoing joint research and development activities aimed at equipping warfighters with protective gear, NATO cooperation and exercises, among other collaborative efforts.
Lawrence noted that "the engagement strengthened the strong U.S.-UK alliance and advanced bilateral progress in this critical mission area." She added that "the BCLG plenary was an important milestone in our continued efforts to ensure the preparedness of and joint interoperability of U.S.-UK armed forces and their capability to respond to WMD threats."
