Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III conducted a call with his German counterpart, Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius, to discuss continuing support for Ukraine amid Russia's brutal invasion.

During the call, Secretary Austin thanked Minister Pistorius for Germany's tremendous support to Ukraine, both in terms of security assistance and leadership within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

The Secretary emphasized that Germany's efforts demonstrate its pivotal role - not only in supporting Ukraine, but also in safeguarding democracy against authoritarian encroachment.

The United States and Germany will continue to work together alongside international partners to ensure strong support for Ukraine.

The two also discussed Iranian attacks on Israel over the weekend, noting Germany's and the United States' steadfast commitment to Israel. They agreed that continued transatlantic collaboration is necessary to ensure regional security going forward.