Informal Foreign Affairs Council, 05/12/2017, 5 December 2017

Foreign affairs ministers had an informal meeting with the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson in Brussels on 5 December.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU foreign ministers and the US State Secretary discussed how to strengthen transatlantic cooperation on major global challenges such as trade, climate change as well as a number of security and geopolitical issues of common concern.

"Our meeting today has confirmed the importance that the European Union and the United States attach to their close partnership and cooperation. I believe we can say that it is also an opportunity to collectively renew our commitment to a close cooperation on a number of important files." Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

During the meeting, foreign ministers and the Secretary of State addressed pressing issues on the international agenda, including the Middle East Peace Process, the situation in the Syria, the approach to Russia and cooperation with Ukraine, and tensions in the Korean peninsula.

The meeting was also an opportunity to exchange on the importance of implementing the Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA, as underlined in the EU statement of 16 October 2017.

Ministers highlighted that the EU and the US are strategic partners and share common values, principles and interests in addressing jointly common global challenges.

• Iran nuclear deal: EU statement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, 16 October 2017 (press release)
• Factsheet on the United States and the EU (EEAS)
• Delegation of the EU to the United States