Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo remarks to the media, July 15, 2020.
Transcript
Good morning. Everyone want to start by marking? Warning. Good to see some. James. Great to see you back. Welcome. I want to start by marking two anniversaries First, On July 11th United States in Vietnam celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Quite an achievement. And second, this week marks the anniversary of two terrorist attacks by Iran backed Hezbollah, the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center. What SRS, Argentina, and the 2012 suicide bomb targeting Israeli tourists in Bulgaria. We continue to exert maximum pressure on Tehran and call on all responsible nations to join us in that now to the events of the day. Yesterday, President Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Active announced a series of actions through a presidential executive order. As he said in May. If tranny treats Hong Kong as one country and a single system, so must we. General Secretary. She’s being made a choice to violate the Chinese Communist Party’s promises to Hong Kong in that were made of a U. N registered treaty. Hey, didn’t have to do that. He made that choice. We have to deal with China as it is not as we wish it to be. Other nations are arriving at the same conclusion. Australia Canada have suspended their extradition treaties with the territory. I leave on Monday for a quick trip to the United Kingdom and to Denmark, and I’m sure that the Chinese Communist Party and its threat to free peoples around the world will be high. On top of that agenda, we’ll certainly take time to discuss the UK is commendable decision to Benoit way gear from its five G networks and phase out the equipment from its existing networks. The UK joins United States and now many other democracies and becoming clean countries nations free of untrusted five G vendors In the same way, many major telecom countries like Telefonica, Telco Italia and NTT have become clean carriers. After my London stop, I’m equally excited to meet with my counterparts from the Kingdom of Denmark. It will be a wonderful trip. The United States has a Wall way announcement of our own today. State Department will impose visa restrictions on certain employees of the Chinese of Chinese technology companies like Wal Way that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally. The last night Last note on China on Monday, for the first time, we made our policy on the South China Sea crystal clear. It’s not China’s maritime empire. If Beijing violates international law and free nations do nothing, then history shows that the CCP will simply take more territory that happened in the last administration. Our statement gives significant support toe awesome leaders who have declared that the South China Sea disputes must be resolved through international law, not might makes right. What the CCP does to the Chinese people is bad enough. But the free world shouldn’t tolerate Beijing’s abuses as well. Moving on. Today, the Department of State is updating the public guidance for cats authorities to include North Stream two and the second line of Turks. Dream, too. This action puts investments or other activities that are related to these Russian energy export pipelines at risk of US sanctions. It’s a clear warning to companies aiding and abetting Russia’s malign influence projects will not be tolerated. Get out now or risk of the consequences. Let me be clear. These aren’t commercial projects. They are Kremlin’s key tools to exploit expand European dependence on Russian energy supplies tools that undermine Ukraine by cutting off gas, transiting that critical democracy, a tool that ultimately undermines transatlantic security. United States is always ready to help our European friends meet their energy needs. Today I have with me assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resource is Frank Fannin will take questions here when I’m complete with respect to this action. Ah, second Russia related matter I want express United States deep sadness that the reporter killing yesterday of Ukrainian military medic. We join the people of Ukraine and condemning the ongoing brutal aggression of Russia led forces in the Don boss and pay tribute to Ukrainians killed and wounded fighting for their democracy. Africa, the United States and Kenya launched the first round of negotiations for bilateral free trade agreement on July 8th. Our vision is to conclude a comprehensive, very high standard agreement with Kenya that conserves a model for the entire continent in the Caucasus region. The United States is deeply concerned about the recent deadly violence along the Armenia Azerbaijan international border. We offer our condolences to all of the victims. We urge the sides to de escalate immediately and re establish a meaningful dialogue and a ceasefire to resume sustenance. Negotiations with the Minsk group as co chairs look closer to home. Today I’m announcing visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Ghana. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to restrictions. The Granger government must respect the results of democratic elections and step aside Ah, few weeks back, I think right here I called out the Pan American Health Organization for failing to disclose details of the Mice Medicos program that use Cuba slave trade in doctors to rake in more than $1 billion. Today I welcome that organization Pothos decision to initiate an independent review regarding Venezuelan The U. N has found yet Mawr Herring evidence of gross human rights violations by the illegitimate Maduro regime, citing more than 1300 extrajudicial executions for political reasons. In 2020 alone, international pressure on Maduro must continue until the Venezuelan people can reclaim their democracy. Ah, final item on the Western Hemisphere this morning United States officially assume the chair of the Summit of Americas process on Friday of this week past. We’re looking forward to hosting the Night Summit of Americas in 2021. Since I last spoke to you, the department has notified Congress of almost $25 billion Maurin potential foreign military sales, including a proposed sale to Japan of 105 F 35 Lightning fighter jets valued up to $23 billion. It’s the second largest sale single sale notification in U. S history. The sale and others accompanying it continue to demonstrate the robust global demand for American defense partnerships helping the world in other ways to Today we’re providing an additional $208 million to the most vulnerable nations. Overcome the Cover 19 pandemic, bringing our total now more than $1.5 billion since the outbreak began. Pretty remarkable charity from the United States people but no American export. No amount of money is as important as our principles. Tomorrow, albeit the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, all present the public report of the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights. As I explained at the Claremont Institute last year and again at Kansas State University during the Landon lecture, this administration grounds are practiced afford policy in America’s founding principles There’s nothing for more fundamental to who we are than our reverence for unable writes the basic God given rights that every human being possessions with the defending the American people from threats supporting international religious freedom or encouraging countries to secure property rights by upholding the rule of law. America defends rights and does good in the world. Tomorrow you get to hear some of my thoughts on the commission’s find recommendations that are encompassed in the report that they’ve been working on now so diligently and for so long. Happy to take a handful A questions. Okay, we’re gonna attempt to get Matley first question from AP. Matt, go ahead of you on the line. Hello? Can you hear me? You Well, good morning. And greetings from my basement. Mr. Secretary has been a long time. I’m sure you miss me as much as I’ve missed you. Um, could I things really quickly One on the Nord Stream and Turks dream sanctions. Uh, you’re saying if I get it correctly that any company that is involved in this, even those who had been previously grandfathered in with sanctions exemptions, are now subject to the sanctions, is that correct? number one and then second be on Iran. You guys had talked about the idea of bringing the arms embargo extension resolution to the Security Council, you know, as early as this week, and that doesn’t look like it’s happening now. And I’m just wondering, Are you hoping to staunch some of the opposition that you’re seeing to the resolution from the Europeans and others with a little bit more time for diplomacy? Thank you. Thank you, Matt. It’s good here. Voice Ana on the 1st 1 So what State Department’s action today is is we’re going to revise the guidance and you’ll see that all that Frank van and talk to you about the details of its implementation, this execution, but make I think we should be very clear. Our expectation is, is that those who participate in the continued project will be subject to review for potential consequences related to that activity. That’s for Iran and timing. You suggested that we’ve delayed because of opposition. In fact, virtually everyone agrees that the arms embargo should be extended our European counterparts to a very concerned about what will happen if the arms embargo itself expires on October 18th of this year, and so there’s enormous consensus around the objective. How to achieve that objective. There’s different views on wave made clear to both publicly and in private to all the members of the Security Council. We intend to ensure that this arms embargo continues. We hope that this can be done by U. N Security Council resolution that all of the permitted members signed up for and indeed, every members of the larger U. N. Security Council. But in the event that that’s not the case, we are still going to do everything in our power to achieve that and we think will be successful. Ultimately in doing that, the precise timing of that we’re gonna keep to ourselves until such time was we’re ready to move to the U. N. Security Council introduced the resolution. We’re not that far away from doing that, man James. The two questions, If I may, on on China yesterday, in his lengthy remarks, President Trump indicated that it’s been quite some time since he last spoke to Chinese President Xi Xinping. This suggests that there is effectively no engagement between our two countries at top levels. It seems that just about every day or several times a week, one or the both of you announced some incremental new measure aimed at punishing the Chinese regime. But I don’t think, as you stand there right now that you can tell us that over the several months this has been going on without this form of engagement that there’s been any discernible change in China’s conduct. So are you essentially tilting at windmills with these various incremental steps? And then I have a follow, don’t you? After your 2nd 1 and I’ll take them both. James, if you don’t mind, I prefer to ask. Except they’re very second. Do you mind if you have your last a 2nd 1 out? I’ll get to it In our interview a little over a year ago, Mr Secretary, I asked you if you considered Iran to be an evil regime, and you said quite simply, yes. I’m wondering if, as a member of the Trump administration, as a seasoned student of and practitioner of international relations or simply as a devout Christian, you regard China as an evil regime. So let me take the 1st 1 You began by saying that as the president said yesterday, he hasn’t talked to XI Jingping in quite some time. I think the call was in March, if I remember correctly, but I’ll defer to the White House on the last time they have spoken. But there has been high level conversation. I traveled to Hawaii. Now it seems like a little while ago, but it was just a few weeks back where I met with one to share. We continue to have a dialogue and conversations at every level within the State Department. It’s tapping into other agencies across the U. S. Government to so there’s a significant amount of conversation between the two countries. What’s important, James’s? That conversation has changed. The conversation is different than we’ve had, frankly, for decades between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. It is no long, and I think, that I think Chinese leadership understand is no longer the case that it’s going to be acceptable to the United States is simply going to allow the important commercial relationships that we have between our two countries to put the American people at risk. And that’s what it happened. This isn’t political. This is multiple administrations across both of the major political parties or for an awful long time. Our policy simply reflected allowing China to engage in behavior that was radically un reciprocal, enormously unfair to the American people and frankly put America’s national security at risk. And so we have begun to turn that around. There is still real work that needs to be done, but you can see in each of the policies that administration undertaken in the last 2.5 years ah, market reversal in terms of Chinese behavior, how they responded. You’ve seen the language that they use. You can see that we’re having a real impact. And we will continue to do the things we need to do to make sure that the American people are safe and secure and that we have a set of fair and reciprocal relationships. That’s the that’s the end state desire. Uh, we want good things for the people of China. We have a Chinese Communist Party that is putting freedom and democracy at risk by their expansionist, imperialist, authoritarian behaviour. That’s that’s the behavior that we’re trying to see changed. We’ve still got work to do. Uh, this is a regime that failed to disclose information. They had about a virus that’s now killed over 100,000 Americans, hundreds of thousands across the world cost the global economy trillions and trillions of dollars and now is allowing the World Health Organization to go in to conduct what I am confident will be completely, completely whitewashed. Investigation. The reason. I hope I’m wrong. I hope it’s a thorough investigation that gets fully to the bottom of. I’ve watched the Chinese Communist Party’s behaviour with respect to the virus that emanated from Wuhan, and they have simply refused. They have destroyed samples that taken journalists and doctors who were prepared to talk about this and not permitted them to do what what nations that want to play on a truly global scale, global stage ought to do, be transparent and open and communicate and cooperate from the Chinese used that word. The Chinese Communist Party talks about win win and cooperation. Cooperation isn’t about nice language or summits or meetings between foreign ministers. It’s about actions, and that’s the expectation that we are setting for the Chinese Communist Party. We need to see fair reciprocal responses were hopeful that they complete their requirements under the Phase one trade deal. And we’re hopeful that we’ll see changes in the behaviour across the entire spectrum where they have unfairly treated America for far too long. Your second question was about China and how we use language. I’ll leave. I’ll leave my comments about China precisely where I just left them previously. Region. I appreciate your question. I’m gonna leave my comments for today. Precise the words. I will tell you the things that are happening on a human rights scale. I’ve described a sustained of the center. I stand by those remarks. Makiko. Mrs Secretary, How are you? I’m good. How are you? Good to questions. If I may, The first ones on China in Iran. The 2nd 1 is on China and Taiwan. I would like Teoh. What is your assessment Off the prospective Detroit and military partnership between Iran and China. And how would you respond to criticism that the U. S. Sanctions have further strengthened the alliance between the two countries and separately? If I may, on Taiwan in China, What is? What is your comment on China’s threats to impose sanctions? American company. Lucky modern over US arms sale to Taiwan. What is a calculation off the State Department when it approved the M cell to Taiwan and shoot US company be punished when the U. S government is implementing the Taiwan Relations Act. Thank you. So your questions is you know, of course, not way had American company conducting business that was consistent with American foreign policy, the the policy of the arm cells that we made to Taiwan. I regret that the Chinese Communist Party chose to make that threat against lucky markets not the first time they’ve chosen to do that to an American contractor who was working on a program that was between the United States and Taiwan. I’m so regret that helped reconsider that and not follow through on the remarks that were made yesterday or the day before when they made them. Uh, your first question was about Iran and China. Well, a little history is were in order, right? Think think about long time ago. Persia is the relationship. This is not brand new, but I think what you saw in the reporting there and something we’ve been following is evidence of a couple simple things. First, we need to extend the arms embargo. Right now we have reporting that suggests that not only when the arms embargo will inspire does the secretary of State of the United States believe that China will sell weapons systems to Iran. But the Iranians believe that China will sell systems to Iran, and indeed, they have been working on it, waiting for this day, waiting for midnight on October 18th for this arms embargo to expire. I think Europeans should stare at that on and realize that the risk of this Israel and that the the work between Iran and the Chinese Communist Party may well commence rapidly and robustly on October 19th if we’re not successful at extending the U. N arms embargo. As for the larger picture way, have ah set of sanctions related to any company or country that engages in activity between with with Iran sanctions? A clear we have been unambiguous about enforcing them against our companies from allies, countries from all across the world. We would certainly do that with respect activity between Iran and China as well. Sarah, go a first on. Yes, there used to be the rule from Channel Four news in the UK You know, you I commended the UK decision on hallway. The decision is very much based on US. Sanctions on the policy may change if the U. S sanctions changes that any ah idea for a review on the sanctions and second day with the CRA. Navarros, of course, has been restrictions on visas. You case it since entering the US government’s pride themselves on a very special relationship. Is there any notice of those restrictions being relieved? So, uh, we are working closely not only with United Kingdom, but with countries all across the Schengen zone and across Europe more broadly on. Indeed, countries in Asia as well, toe to do our best to get the science and health right to get international travel back open, complicated process. Each country’s got a set of different conditions. And as you can see in many countries, even regionally, they have different conditions on the ground. We’re trying to get that right, and we certainly hope that we can get this going with United Kingdom just as quickly as possible. I enough date. I think it was two days ago. Now we’re getting closer to a common set of understandings about how will do that. Not only that will do it but the procedures that we would use so that we could execute that safely. Your first question. But the British decision with respect to while weight yesterday we were we were happy about it. Faster is always better to get this equipment out of their system. It’s a security risk. This isn’t about commercial interest. It’s about protecting the information in this case of the United Kingdom’s people. You suggested they did this because of US sanctions. I don’t actually think that’s true. I actually think they did this because their security teams came to conclude. Same conclusion that hours half is that you can’t protect this information. This this information that translates across these untrusted networks that are of Chinese Origen will almost certainly end up in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. And so I think they did this for the right reasons. I think they did this toe protect and preserve and secure the freedoms of the people of the United Kingdom, and I’m confident they’ll continue in that policy. I think Prime Minister Johnson got complete right end of the stick on this one. I’m pleased to see that, and I’m pleased to see this is happening all across the world, the tide is turning. I remember questions from you all a year and 1/2 ago that said, Oh, my goodness, it’s just the United States I think I think the work that’s been done and the work that we’ve enabled to be done all across the world is now making clear to everyone, and that is a real security risk. Now, every nation simply asking the question, How do you do it? One of the commercial impacts. How quickly can you move in that direction? And how do we ensure that we have available, uh, cost effective solutions that don’t subject our people to the rest? That comes from having this infrastructure inside of the countries? I think I think, in fact, the tightest turned there and you’ll see this continue in countries all across the when you sing the world’s biggest telecom providers, sharing the same concern. I listed a few today. I listed a few the last time I was up here. Maybe was the time before you’re saying bride A. Telco providers understand the rest that their companies bear from putting these untrusted Venter vendors in their networks as well Michelle E. I have to question to You were disappointed by Turkey. Is a Turkish decision to turn I Sofia back into a mosque? Are you considering any sanctions on Turkey and on Lebanon? News reports say that Hezbollah and the government are waiting for the U. S presidential elections outcome to decide what to do. Do you have any advice for them? It was spectacular way were disappointed. We regret the decision that the Turkish government made. I don’t have anything else to add to that. As for Lebanon, I just don’t have anything else to add this morning. As for Lebanon, the Lebanese people have a simple set of demands. It’s really very straightforward. I don’t want corruption, the one government that’s responsive to the people. They want a government that is not subject to influence from designated terrorist group Hezbollah. They want what people all across the world, when that’s what they’re in the streets, marching and asking for basic economic activity reserved, they want taxes to be collected a fair way. Things are the things that the people of Lebanon are demanding. They should continue to demand them, and when the government shows up that will do that well and do that right. I am very confident that countries from all across the world and the I m f will show up to provide them with the financing they need to execute a reform plan that is worthy of the people of Lebanon. And I think that will happen, whether in this administration or the next one. I think the United States position here has been pretty clear in his bipartisan. Just one question with two parts and what should be in for from your statement on the South China Sea. The fate of complete that China has created in South Tennessee, they remain in place. They remain fit to complete the fishing fleet, the maritime militia. They continue to operate in what is considered disputed. What your expectations, What should be in for our your expectations of China following this in a strengthened U. S. Position? No. After extensive legal review, the State Department for the first time made clear what we believe the law reflects. This is how the United States operates all across the world. And so we sat down very clearly the markers that says these are the These are the legal requirements. We will then go use the tools that we have available and we will support countries all across the real who recognize the China has violated their legal territorial claims as well. Our maritime claims as well and we’ll go provide them the assistance weekend, whether that’s in multilateral bodies, whether that’s an ASEAN, whether that’s through legal responses, we use all the tools we can. You used the term fate of complete. I think I think things have shifted dramatically in the region. I think you’re seeing countries all throughout Asia and indeed in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific, recognizing that the United States is prepared to do the things necessary to assist them in protecting their valid legal claims. So I think it was really important statement made on Monday I think was very important and not only demarcating the United States position, but making clear that will support other nations of the region that do a similar thing with respect to protecting their capacity to preserve the maritime boundaries that there people are entitled to and I got time for one more questions will indulge. You spoke over here about how much the U. S. relationship with China has changed over the last few decades. I’m wondering if you consider India and increasingly important trade and military partner in if those conversations are happening at a high level. Secondly, I would like to know if he’s made any development in the negotiations with the European officials on the travel ban and there’s out cases continued to spike if it’s possible that the region will remain off limits to US travelers for the rest of the year. Yeah, I’ll leave to the White House task force, the the details. But yeah, we’ve been working with Europeans. Everyone’s trying to get it right. I’m just trying toe do the houses way. No, that’s we know there is a way to safely travel to make sure people come here, that we don’t create risk for them. When Americans travel with their country and they don’t create increased risk when they travel here, you know there’s a way to achieve that. We’re going to do it as quickly as possible. Your first question was about India, and you started with a predicate of our relationship with China has changed. I think it’s worth noting the reason for that change is the Chinese Communist Party’s behavior. That’s important. I listen to some of the narrative that that flows out of China. Some of the disinformation and people use language like tit for tat. Things aren’t tit for tat exchanges. This is America standing up for its own people and the world now coming to understand the threat that the Chinese Communist Party. So the extent there’s been a change in relationship, it is a direct result of the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party. Eso. When that stops, I will do that and has been a great partner. I’m going to speak to the US India business capital here in a couple of hours, I think, or maybe it’s this afternoon Now they’re an important partner of ours. We have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talked frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along their border with China. We’ve talked about the risk that emanates to China from Chinese telecommunications infrastructure. There, he saw the decision they made to ban some several dozen Chinese software forms from operating inside of the country on the phones of people operating inside of India. I think the whole world is coalescing around the challenge that we face in the democracies that free nations of the world will push back on these challenges together. I’m very confident that Thanks, everybody. Thanks for joining me today. Frank’s gonna answer some questions for you on the revised language to our cats. A guy. Thanks, everybody. Good morning. Thank you to Secretary Pompeo for his leadership on this important issue. I’m also joined by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Russia Chris Robinson, who’s available toe Answer any questions about Russia and the context of the secretary’s announcement, as a secretary indicated the Department of State is taking new action against Russia against the Kremlin to demonstrate are continuing opposition to its North Stream two pipeline and others like it. United States has been clear, and its support for the rights of our European allies and partners have reliable choices for energy choices that are not conditioned on political and military pressure from the Kremlin. We’ve been hard at work assisting and promoting MAWR energy options for Europe. These options include successes in Belarus, Croatia and Lithuania, among many others. In contrast, the Kremlin has continued to push North Stream two in its effort to exploit expand European dependence on Russian energy. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure serves as a deterrent to Russian aggression. Yet the Kremlin now seeks to undermine Ukraine by making that infrastructure obsolete. The action, secretary Pompeo announced today, is intended to counter Russian malign influence. Our actions sends a clear signal about this administration’s determination to use the tools we have. We aim to support transatlantic energy security goals. The administration’s deep and longstanding concerns are shared by a strong bipartisan majority in Congress that that includes concerns about North Stream two in the second line of Turk Stream, another Kremlin backed pipeline project in southern Europe, the Department of State is issuing updated public guidance for Section 232 of Cats A the countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act in order to expand implement implementation of the act. This includes investments for other activities related to a broader scope of Russian energy export pipelines for North Stream two, as well as a second line of Turk Stream. We know Russia’s gas prom is attempting to protect its decades long near monopoly for supplying gas to Europe. Today’s update two cats A goes a long way to buttress our overall diplomatic approach. We’re working with our European allies and partners on projects that diversify rather than limit their options. Our ultimate goal is to enhance transatlantic energy security by way of expanded energy suppliers, routes and types of fuel, including investments in renewables and nuclear energy. Thank you. And with that, I’m happy to take a few questions. Let’s try the phone line again when it tested up. We have Will Mauldin from The Wall Street Journal. Well, no. All right. What about Larry Jakes? Your times? Yeah, I called. Okay, um, you know, on the North Stream sanctions, you just mentioned that you want to give European allies more choice for energy security, but it sounds a little like if they make the wrong choice. In other words, continue with Nord Stream two that you’re gonna threaten sanctions against them. That doesn’t seem like much of a choice. Well, in terms of the choices, we’ve been hard at work at helping the diversification efforts in Europe. Just as secretary spoke to a few of these referenced some of these Belarus, for example, has expanded its suppliers of crude oil beyond Russia. Lithuania has an LNG import vessel that brings gas from Norway. Among other sources, Poland is expanding LNG terminals and considering floating LNG, uh, sourcing through Norway as well. Many other European countries Ukraine, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Italy and Romania are further diversifying their ways away from European energy. So our our work is long standing on terms of the diversification objectives, were very pleased by the trend line and continue to see that through. If Germany does proceed, German companies do proceed with partnership with Russia on Nord Stream, they will face us US sanctions that are cats. It was that right. We’ve been, ah clear for two years now that any parties involved in the Russian natural gas export pipeline business faces sanctions risk. We’ve been clear about that. Continuing on what has changed is the continued escalation on the part of the Kremlin on this and this is is a direct response to that. In terms of that guy, that’s change for a next question. Let’s try phone lines once again. And could we try the line of counterfeit again? Probably just a national. Yeah. Okay, so we’ll keep it in the room. Um, let’s go to, uh question for Chris. All right, how you would characterize US Russia relations at this moment in time. And, um yesterday, on a phone call between Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Lavrov, they discussed a possible P five meeting in the near future. I’m wondering if you can provide any more details and why it would be a good idea for President Trump and President Putin to meet at this moment in time. Sure, so I don’t have anything specific on the P five. But I do think it speaks to the broader effort and that is the and the president’s been clear it would be in our interest to have better relations with Russia. We have AH range of dialogues with the Russian government across a range of different issues. But for that dialogue to improve and for the relationship to improve, Russia needs to end its aggression, whether it’s in Ukraine or whether it’s interference in our internal affairs or the affairs in the elections of our friends and allies. Russia needs to cease its aggression for that bilateral relationship to improve, so we continue to talk to them. But like what the action we’re taking today. We’re also taking steps so that we can effectively and consistently counter Russian aggression and work with our allies and partners to do so. And has there been any progress in US Russian relations? Would you say over the past year, in some ways there has been We’ve we’ve begun discussions on arms control and strategic stability is as you’ve been briefed on in the past. We have resumed a U. S. Counterterrorism, US, Russia counter terrorism dialogue in order to protect our national interests. We’ve had very frank conversations about where we disagree, whether its interference in our affairs, Russia’s own treatment of its own citizens. We have a very frank conversation about that because we have the dialogue channels. But we’ve also been effective at countering Russian aggression. And again, this. The action today helps us reinforce that message so that hopefully over time we can get the relationship on a better footing. Thank you, Orson and Germany. The question is, when you say you’re adjusting, not getting consumed for Europeans like you’re expecting, Well, pause addressing Russia and so one, uh, not quite sure I understand the question when you talk to your pocket saying Now you have to adjust mystery sanctions. Is it that when you talk to your European partners Germany from is it that you don’t get the same level of concern about Russia that you have or and if so, way see a growing concern in Europe for the Russia’s ability to use energy form alignment purposes but in terms of specific countries? One. I asked Christine. Sure, I think you see a growing majority of countries that are concerned about Nord Stream to an impact it would have on European energy security or as Frank laid out enabling enabling Russian aggression on DSO. We are adding our voice to those European voices today that are concerned about Russian aggression. And how do we effectively counter that? The tools that where we have made available today help reinforce that message? That was a sorry my questions also for Chris. But I do appreciate being here. It is nice to see you and we do still love you in the Lavrov call yesterday. I’m wondering if the topic of Russian down I can’t get into all of our discussions. I think the secretary has been very clear that we have a frank conversation with Russia with regard to Afghanistan. We have taken steps and to address all threats, and we will continue to do so. Whether it’s from Russia or Iran or any other actor. We will take the steps necessary. But I think sort of pivoting back to what we’re talking about today. We are consistent about pushing back against Russian aggression. That’s what we’re doing today with our steps with regard to expanding cats, authorities to protect European energy security. And we will be and have been consistent in pushing back on Russian aggression. Wherever we find it again, I don’t have anything dead dress on that conversation. But this secretary’s been very clear about Russia in Afghanistan. All right, let’s take one less like that, going to the phone lines and let’s try a little more than a girl. Okay, I can’t say we do try. We’ll take wonder. Maybe one or two more. Jason, like the assistant secretary. You’re familiar with the maxim that war is a continuation of politics by other means, and I wonder how you might assess the view from Russia or from other observers, that with these kinds of moves announced today, the United States is simply pursuing energy competition. Violent means, Yeah, the narratives coming from Russia and there had said in their interest to convey that idea. You know, we’ve been consistent and supporting diversification regardless of where that energy comes from, or the type of energy we’ve continued. Teoh and very pleased to see the Southern gas corridor moving bringing uh, very gas in over to Western Europe That’s moving forward. Finally, we’re very pleased to see that happen. The secretary has been a leader in promoting energy development in the eastern Mediterranean on, so that’s another area of of again non us gas coming in. But it’s for the purposes of improving the diversity on the security of Europe. We’re certainly proud of the U. S. Energy. A zit is a comport important component to support the security of friends and allies around the world. But that’s not the primary objective here. The primary objective is to improve the resilience and security of European nations to diversify away from a variety of sources. Some of those are including developing sources like those I mentioned the Eastern Med, one last question back tracing Russia extra Preiser view. Given what you’ve said about Russia’s malign behavior, is it still a plan to invite them to Teoh, join a G seven meeting? And would you recommend the baby invited? So the secretary’s entered this before that this discussion for the G seven members and the but it is important to have dialogue with Russia. But we’ve also been clear and consistent about calling out Russia and holding Russia to account for its malign activities. And so those two elements of our bilateral relationship will continue. And we will continue to do that in partnership with our G seven partners and with all of our NATO and European allies and partners. Thank you. Thanks.