Europe

Documents & Texts from the State Department

04 February 2010 Romania Agrees to Host Ballistic Missile Interceptor  The Romanian Supreme Defense Council’s agreement to host a Standard Missile 3 interceptor marks a “first step” in implementing the Obama administration’s revised missile defense plan to protect against short- and medium-range missiles that could be launched from Iran.

29 January 2010 Secretary of State's Speech on European Security  In a speech today at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized that the United States and Europe are essential partners in meeting today’s global challenges, and stressed that we are eager to strengthen cooperation with a Europe that is strong and unified.
 • Factsheet on the Secretarys Speech on European Security

29 Janaury 2010 Interview With Renee Montagne of NPR

15 December 2009 The Lisbon Treaty: Implications for Future Relations Between the European Union and the United States Statement by Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, before the Subcommittee on Europe of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

26 November 2009 Europe and Eurasia   Remarks by William J. Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs at Oxford University

19 November 2009 Secretary Clinton on Naming of New President of the European Council and EU High Representative

09 November 2009 Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate Celebration

09 November 2009 Moving Beyond History: The Fall of the Berlin Wall  Secretary Clinton Meets with U.S. Embassy Berlin personnel and their families.

08 November 2009 Clinton’s Speech on 20th Anniversary of Berlin Wall’s Fall  Secretary Clinton addresses the Atlantic Council Gala dinner in Berlin

03 November 2009 Remarks By President Obama, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt Of Sweden, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, And European Council High Representative Javier Solana After their Meeting
 • U.S.-EU Summit Declaration and Annexes (PDF, 12 pages)

05 November 2009 U.S. Statement to OSCE on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination  Remarks by Chargé d’Affaires Fuller to the Permanent Council in Vienna.

05 November 2009 Briefing by Ambassador Morningstar on U.S.-EU Energy Council Dialogue on strategic energy policy and technology via teleconference.

04 November 2009 U.S. Perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe  Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

28 October 2009 U.S. Foreign Policy and the OSCE: Shared Core Values  Statement by Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

22 October 2009 Press Freedom Group Concerned over Europe, Welcomes U.S. Progress  In its eighth annual world press freedom index, the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders warns that Europe, which largely has led the world in free press standards, has seen individual declines over the past year. Also, while the United States has increased its standing, Israel and Iran have both scored much lower marks than in 2008 because of press freedom violations, the organization says.

22 October 2009 Biden Praises Central Europe’s Democratic Advances  Vice President Biden praised the courage of the people of Central Europe for taking world history in the 20th century and moving it in a new direction toward freedom, justice and fairness. “Twenty years ago the world watched in awe and admiration as men and women throughout this region broke the shackles of oppression, and emerged a free people,” Biden said in Bucharest, Romania, as Europeans observe the 20th anniversary of the end of the Cold War. “When the Iron Curtain was lifted, the wall fell in Berlin, in their places grew democracy, a democracy that you’ve deserved for a long time.”

21 October 2009 Missile Defense Plan Designed to Meet Growing Threat to Europe  The new phased missile defense plan that President Obama has proposed for Europe is designed to meet a growing threat not only to the United States, but also to allies, Vice President Biden said October 21 in Warsaw, Poland.

19 October 2009 Biden to Visit Poland, Romania and Czech Republic  Vice President Biden will travel to Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic to discuss a range of issues at a critical time for East European nations that are transitioning from local agendas to a broader global security environment. All three nations are NATO members, all are involved in security operations in Afghanistan, and all are involved in the advancement of democracy, Tony Blinken, national security adviser to the vice president, said in a briefing with reporters before Biden leaves for Europe October 20. Biden will consult with leaders in Warsaw, Bucharest and Prague October 20–23.

16 October 2009 World Trade Body Membership Tops U.S. Trade Agenda for Russia  Seeing Russia join the World Trade Organization tops the U.S. trade agenda for Russia, says a senior U.S. official. By early summer, hopes were high that a common understanding had been reached as to what Russia needed to do to become a member of the WTO. But everything changed on June 9, when Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin, announced that Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would withdraw their individual applications to join the trade organization and make a joint bid for membership, said Betsy Hafner, director for Russia and Eurasia at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

16 October 2009 Clinton: China, Russia Trade Pacts Show Economic Interdependence  Trade agreements recently announced between China and Russia, including a mammoth natural gas arrangement, illustrate a world of greater economic interdependence and interconnectedness, and a world vastly different from the Cold War period of the 20th century, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says in a recent Moscow interview.

15 October 2009 Secretary Clinton’s Interview with Kim Ghattas of the BBC  Secretary answers questions on Russia, Iran and Afghanistan.

14 October 2009 Murderers of Russian Journalists Must Face Justice, Clinton Says  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says those who have attacked Russian journalists and other human rights defenders must be brought to justice. She told Russian civil society leaders that democracy and a respect for human rights are integral to their country’s future stability and prosperity.

Secretary Clinton in London, Dublin, Belfast, October 09-12, 2009  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton travelled to London, Dublin, Belfast, and Moscow from October 9 to 15, 2009.

08 October 2009 Readout of call between the President and Prime Minister Gordon Brown

08 October 2009 Background Briefing by Senior State Department Official on Secretary Clinton's Upcoming Trip to Europe

08 October 2009 On-the-Record Briefing on Secretary Clinton's Upcoming Travel to Europe

08 October 2009 Statement on Inaugural U.S. Flight Transiting Russia  Agreement allows U.S. to transit lethal equipment across Russia’s territory.

21 September 2009 U.S.-Russian Military-to-Military Links Set to Expand  Military-to-military programs between the United States and Russia, suspended after the August 2008 conflict in Georgia, have resumed as part of a plan that will include nearly 20 exchanges and operational events before the end of 2009, say U.S. defense officials.

09 September 2009 United States, Russia Seek Cut in Excess Weapons-Grade Plutonium  The U.S. and Russia have reaffirmed a commitment by which each nation will dispose of no less than 34 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium, U.S. officials said. The pledge follows from the Moscow Summit, held July 6–8 between Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, at which the two countries reaffirmed their readiness to implement commitments made in the 2000 Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA).

03 September 2009 United States Urges Russia to Withdraw Forces from Georgia  The U.S. called on Russia to honor its commitment to withdraw the majority of its forces from two breakaway regions in Georgia — Abkhazia and South Ossetia — and permit "unhindered humanitarian access" to the areas. "A year after the August 2008 war, the situation in Georgia remains a matter of grave concern," U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Carol Fuller said at an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) council meeting in Vienna September 3. Restoring security and stability in Georgia is critical, she said.

05 August 2009 United States Reaffirms Commitment to Georgia’s Sovereignty  The United States stands by Georgia as it seeks a secure, democratic and united nation, a senior U.S. diplomat says. But Georgia has more work to do to strengthen its government and political system, and there is no military option for the reintegration of Georgia’s two breakaway provinces, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, said Philip Gordon, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.

23 July 2009 Biden Tells Georgians Democracy Requires Full Participation  Vice President Biden told the Georgian Parliament that the Rose Revolution that launched Georgia's modern democratic government in 2003 will be complete only when the government is open, accountable and fully participatory.

22 July 2009 Speech by Vice President Biden in Ukraine

22 July 2009 East European Democracy Initiative Marks 20th Anniversary  Europe and the United States, along with much of the rest of the world, were caught up in a rare state of euphoria after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, a now-historic moment that marks the symbolic end of the Cold War. But even as the nations of Central and Eastern Europe celebrated restoration of their national independence and the end of communist rule, they faced a stark question: Now what?

20 July 2009 Biden Visits Ukraine, Georgia for Talks  The main purpose of Vice President Biden’s trip this week to Ukraine and to Georgia is to strengthen each partnership, a vice presidential adviser says. "Ukraine and Georgia are very different countries facing very different challenges, and also very different opportunities," Biden's national security adviser, Tony Blinken, said in a press conference call in Washington. "But we see some overarching themes to the trip that apply to both countries."

16 July 2009 Statement on Killing of Human Rights Activist in Russia  Calls on Russian authorities to bring killers to justice.

08 July 2009 Remarks by President Obama and Italian President Napolitano  Discuss U.S. and Europe raising standards on financial institutions

06 July 2009 Obama, Russia’s Medvedev Agree to Further Missile Defense Talks  The U.S. and Russia have agreed to continue talks on proposed missile defenses in Europe. "We have instructed our experts to work together to analyze the ballistic missile challenges of the 21st century and to prepare appropriate recommendations, giving priority to the use of political and diplomatic methods," President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a joint statement released July 6 in Moscow.

06 July 2009 Russia, U.S. Seek to Lead Nonproliferation Efforts by Example  Citing shared concerns over nuclear security and the spread of nuclear weapons, President Obama says the United States and Russia are increasing their security cooperation and have signed a preliminary agreement to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

26 June 2009 United States-Russian Exchanges Boost Mutual Understanding  During the Cold War, Americans and Russians often saw each other through a filter of mistrust, despite their nations' striking similarities as multicultural, multiethnic societies, each straddling a continent, with vast influence in their own regions. But since the emergence of an independent Russia, mistrust yields to understanding as mutual interests step to the fore.

24 June 2009 United States Seeks Active Engagement with European Partners  The United States is participating in international meetings in June and July in Europe to directly engage with European partners on the most urgent, overarching security and economic challenges, a senior State Department official says.

16 June 2009 Strengthening the Transatlantic Alliance: An Overview of the Obama Administration's Policies in Europe   Statement by Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs

10 June 2009 July Moscow Summit Seeks to Reduce Nuclear Arsenals  President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev committed to reducing their nuclear arsenals through a proposed arms reduction treaty that would take effect late this year. As owners of more than 95 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, the United States and Russia will lead by example, Obama said after a meeting with Medvedev in early April.

08 June 2009 U.S. Ambassador Daalder’s Speech on NATO’s Agenda in 21st Century  Outlines a new opportunity for a new alliance.

20 May 2009 Joint Statement by U.S., European Union on Bosnia-Herzegovina  Leaders support Bosnia-Herzegovina’s move toward NATO, EU membership.

20 May 2009 Biden Seeks to Enhance U.S.-Serbian Relations  Vice President Biden and Serbian President Boris Tadic on May 20 sought to open a new path toward enhanced communications and relations between the United States and Serbia.

19 May 2009 Vice President Biden Begins Visit to the Balkans May 19  Vice President Biden is traveling to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo beginning May 19 in large measure to demonstrate intensified U.S. engagement in the Balkans, a senior administration official says.

14 May 2009 Statement on U.S.-EU Beef Hormone Agreement  Agreement provides U.S. beef producers increased access to EU market.

04 May 2009 Russia Tackles Intellectual Property Piracy, But More Work Needed  The U.S. government's top trade agency and industry groups say the Russian government is doing a better job in both legislating and enforcing rules against the illegal copying of movies, music, computer software and other types of intellectual property. But, they say, even better enforcement must be achieved to hasten Russia's bid for membership in the World Trade Organization.

28 April 2009 Experts Say Cooperation Between U.S., Russia Is an Imperative  Experts from the U.S. and Russia who are in Washington for the annual World Russia Forum see closer U.S.-Russian relations as less an option than an imperative if issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation to energy security are to be addressed effectively.
 • Remarks by Under Secretary William Burns at Russia World Forum

20 April 2009 State Department Appoints New Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy  Clinton appoints Richard Morningstar as special envoy for Eurasian energy.

16 April 2009 Department of State Press Release on the Aftermath of Protests in Moldova

15 April 2009 Partnerships Hold Key to Success in Europe, Beyond, General Says  Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Army Europe, emphasized international partnerships as being a key element in military operations.

09 March 2009 Clinton Hails Renewal of U.S.-Russian Arms Control Talks   A “fresh start” in U.S.-Russian relations will begin with a renewed commitment to shrinking stockpiles of nuclear weapons, after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announce plans to start negotiations on a new arms control treaty.

06 March 2009 Analysis: America and Russia “Press the Reset Button”  By “pressing the reset button” on its relations with Russia, America seeks strengthened partnerships on shared global challenges, balanced by open and respectful dialogue on differences. “There’s a lot for us to do together,” says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

03 March 2009 Obama Seeks Improved Relations with Russia  The U.S. seeks improved relations with Russia through strengthened partnerships to confront a wide range of shared diplomatic and security challenges, says President Obama. "My hope is that we can have a constructive relationship where, based on common respect and mutual interest, we can move forward," Obama said at the White House March 03 during a joint press appearance with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

18 February 2009 United States Welcomes Progress in Russia-Georgia Talks  Russian and Georgian negotiators in Geneva agreed to avoid new clashes by opening new lines of communication, a move cautiously welcomed by Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried as "a significant success" for efforts to resolve the August 2008 conflict over Georgia's Moscow-backed separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

13 February 2009 United States Wants to Consult with Russia on Missile Defense  The U.S. wants to consult with its NATO partners and with Russia to determine if a cooperative approach to missile defense in Europe can be developed, says Under Secretary of State William Burns.

09 February 2009 Time to Revisit Relations with Russia, Biden Says  The Obama administration will rebuild U.S.-Russian relations, says Vice President Biden, pledging improved cooperation on a wide range of global challenges shared by Washington and Moscow. "It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia," Biden said in a February 7 speech at the Munich Conference on Security Policy.

07 February 2009 Biden Lays Out U.S. Foreign Policy Goals, Approaches  Vice President Biden says the United States will be guided in its foreign relations by the principle that there is no conflict between its security and its ideals — each reinforces the other. It is the obligation of the international community "to listen to and learn from one another, and to work together for a common prosperity and security of all," Biden said in a major foreign policy address February 7 to the Munich Conference on Security Policy.

05 February 2009 U.S.-European Partnership Securing Kosovo's Future  As Kosovo nears the first anniversary of its independence, America and its European allies remain firmly committed to the new Balkan nation’s success, says U.S. diplomat Kyle Scott. "The development of a multiethnic democracy in Kosovo which protects minority rights and religious freedom, and which has government institutions that can deliver stability and prosperity for its people, is a goal that we should all support," Scott told fellow representatives to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna on February 5.

04 February 2009 Clinton, European Partners Set Common Agenda  In recent meetings with two key European allies, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed a number of top challenges the Obama administration wants to focus on with its European partners in the coming months. Clinton mentioned Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East, as well as the fight against nuclear proliferation and terrorism, as chief tasks that the United States wants to engage in together with NATO allies in Europe.

January 2009

13 January 2009 Hillary Clinton, Senators Seek U.S.-Russia Effort on Arms Control  If confirmed by the Senate, Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton says she will work with Russia to extend a nuclear arms agreement set to expire later this year.

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