G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on China’s Large-scale Military Drills around Taiwan
04/06/2025
G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on China’s Large-scale Military Drills around Taiwan
04/06/2025 03:35 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following statement was released by the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union.
Begin Text:
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, express deep concern about China’s provocative actions, particularly the recent large-scale military drills around Taiwan.
These increasingly frequent and destabilizing activities are raising cross-Strait tensions and put at risk global security and prosperity.
G7 members and the larger international community have an interest in the preservation of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We oppose any unilateral actions to threaten such peace and stability, including by force or coercion.
G7 members continue to encourage the peaceful resolution of issues through constructive cross-Strait dialogue.
End Text.
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Dar
04/07/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Dar
04/07/2025 02:40 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Dar
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Dar
Readout
April 7, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Secretary Rubio thanked Pakistan for the arrest and transfer to the United States of ISIS-K operative Mohammad Sharifullah, and the Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dar underscored the importance of continued cooperation on counterterrorism.
Secretary Rubio also emphasized the importance of Pakistan’s cooperation on law enforcement and addressing illegal immigration. They discussed U.S. reciprocal tariffs on Pakistan and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship. The Secretary raised prospects for engagement on critical minerals and expressed interest in expanding commercial opportunities for U.S. companies.
The Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dar look forward to working together to address global challenges during Pakistan’s two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council that began on January 1.
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Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Counterterrorism Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy Office of the Spokesperson Pakistan The Secretary of State United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Uzbekistan National Security Council Deputy Chairman Kamilov
04/07/2025
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Uzbekistan National Security Council Deputy Chairman Kamilov
04/07/2025 06:32 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Uzbekistan National Security Council Deputy Chairman Kamilov
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Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Uzbekistan National Security Council Deputy Chairman Kamilov
Readout
April 7, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Uzbekistan National Security Council Deputy Chairman Abdulaziz Kamilov met in Washington today, reiterating U.S. support for Uzbekistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and further advancing the U.S.-Uzbekistani strategic partnership. Deputy Secretary Landau celebrated Uzbekistan’s efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation on civil nuclear energy and investment in critical minerals and other economic business sectors. He also expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for its continued cooperation on illegal immigration and counterterrorism.
Tags
Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Deputy Secretary of State Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy Office of the Spokesperson Uzbekistan
Senior Bureau Official for International Organization Affairs Pitt’s Travel to Switzerland, Italy, and the Holy See
04/08/2025
Senior Bureau Official for International Organization Affairs Pitt’s Travel to Switzerland, Italy, and the Holy See
04/08/2025 06:22 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of International Organization Affairs McCoy Pitt is currently in Geneva, Switzerland, where he is traveling from April 7-11 to meet with counterparts and participate in the consultative-level meeting of the Geneva Group on UN governance and management. While in Geneva, he will hold additional meetings with leadership of several UN agencies.
From April 14-15, Senior Bureau Official Pitt will travel to Rome, Italy, to meet with officials from the Rome-based UN agencies and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will also engage in discussions with officials from the Holy See to discuss a number of shared priorities.
April 10th Meeting in Istanbul
04/10/2025
April 10th Meeting in Istanbul
04/10/2025 10:27 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
A U.S. delegation led by Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe, met with a Russian delegation, led by Ambassador Aleksandr Darchiyev, on April 10 in Istanbul, Türkiye. This meeting is the second round of consultations since Secretary Rubio’s agreement with his Russian counterpart; the first took place February 27.
Continuing the constructive approach established in the February 27 meeting, the U.S. and Russian delegations exchanged notes to finalize an understanding to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions. The United States reiterated its concerns about the Russian Federation’s policy prohibiting the employment of local staff, which is the key impediment to maintaining for stable and sustainable staffing levels at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Coulter and Ambassador Darchiyev discussed holding a follow-up meeting on these issues in the near term, as needed, with the date, location, and representation to be determined.
Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
04/10/2025
Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
04/10/2025 03:27 PM EDT
Tammy Bruce, Department Spokesperson
The U.S. Department of State is today sanctioning a second China-based terminal operator, Guangsha Zhoushan Energy Group Co Ltd, which received at least eight Iranian crude oil cargos in the past several years. The Department of State is also designating three vessel management companies for their involvement in the transport of Iranian petroleum and identifying two vessels as blocked property of two of these companies.
The United States is committed to aggressively implementing and enforcing sanctions targeting Iran’s entire oil supply chain, including sanctioning those who help Iran evade sanctions and export Iranian oil to China.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is concurrently designating UAE- and India-based entities and blocking nearly 30 vessels involved in shipping Iranian oil.
Today’s action advances President Trump’s policy of maximum pressure to deny the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and counter the regime’s malign influence. These sanctions will curtail the flow of revenue the Iranian regime uses to finance its destabilizing activities and are part of President Trump’s commitment to drive Iran’s export of oil to zero — especially oil exports to China.
We will continue to curb illicit funding that funds Iran’s malign activities, limit the financial resources available to corrupt regime officials, and use all the tools at our disposal to hold the regime accountable.
Today’s actions are being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, which authorizes and reimposes certain sanctions with respect to Iran, and Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, which targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors, and marks the fifth round of sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales since the President issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 on February 4, 2025, ordering a campaign of maximum pressure on Iran. For more information about today’s action, please see the Department of State’s Fact Sheet and Treasury’s Press Release .
Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
04/10/2025
Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Network to Further Impose Maximum Pressure on Iran
04/10/2025 03:19 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The Iranian regime continues to engage in destabilizing activities in the Middle East and beyond. Today, the United States is taking action under President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign on Iran to stem the flow of revenue that the regime uses to support its malign activities abroad and oppress its own people. The Department of State is imposing sanctions on four entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and is identifying two vessels as blocked property.
Today’s action includes the designation of a second China-based crude oil and petroleum products storage terminal that has a demonstrated pattern of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran. This terminal has acquired Iranian crude-oil at least nine times between 2021 and 2025, including from U.S. sanctioned vessels, amounting to the import of at least 13 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. Moreover, this terminal is directly connected to a major refinery complex in China, demonstrating the role that Chinese-based refiners continue to play in the purchase, acquisition, and processing of Iranian crude oil. This behavior continues to enable Iran’s ability to fund its nuclear escalations, support terrorist groups, and enable disruption of the flow of trade and freedom of navigation in waterways that are crucial to global prosperity and economic growth.
The Department of State is also designating three vessel management companies for their involvement in the transport of Iranian petroleum. Iran’s oil exports are enabled by a network of such illicit shipping facilitators in multiple jurisdictions who, through obfuscation and deception, load and transport Iranian oil for sale to buyers in Asia. The vessels managed by these companies have moved millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products and play a key role in the Iranian export supply chain.
These entities are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846 for having knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN ENERGY GROUP CO., LTD. (GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN) owns and operates a crude oil and petroleum products terminal on Huangzeshan Island in Zhoushan, China. This terminal is directly connected through the Huangzeshan–Yushan Under Sea Oil Pipeline to a nearby teapot refinery.
GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN, through its terminal on Huangzeshan Island, knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the acquisition of crude oil from Iran when the U.S.-designated tanker SNOW (IMO: 9569619), formerly known as CHERAM, linked to the U.S.-designated NATIONAL IRANIAN TANKER COMPANY, discharged Iranian crude oil at the terminal in August 2021. SNOW discharged approximately 2 million barrels of Iranian crude oil at the terminal operated by GUANGHSA ZHOUSHAN.
GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN has also received Iranian crude oil on numerous other occasions. In February 2025, GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the acquisition of crude oil from Iran when the U.S.-designated tanker AVENTUS I (IMO: 9280873), also known as FURY, discharged approximately one million barrels of Iranian crude oil at its terminal.
GUANGSHA ZHOUSHAN is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.
Continued Targeting of Iran’s Ghost Fleet
The Department of State continues to designate vessel management companies and their tankers for knowingly engaging in the transportation of petroleum and petrochemical products from Iran. These vessel management companies and their associated tankers have collectively transported millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products, with the vast majority of the cargoes being delivered to buyers in China. Furthermore, these vessels have routinely engaged in “dark activity,” operating with their automatic identification system (AIS) location and identity beacon turned off. This behavior, which is designed to obscure the Iranian origin of the vessels’ cargoes, is a direct and unnecessary risk to other vessels as AIS is a key system used to avoid vessel collisions.
MARZIYA SHIPPING OPC PVT LTD (MARZIYA) is the technical/International Safety Management (ISM) manager of VIRGO (IMO: 9236250) since at least June 2021. RISING PHOENIX PROVIDER NV (PHOENIX) has been the commercial manager and registered owner of the VIRGO since at least November 2020. During their tenure as the ISM and commercial managers of VIRGO, respectively, VIRGO loaded approximately 22 million barrels of crude oil between 11 port calls at Kharg Island, Iran. VIRGO conducted these loadings between 2022 and 2024 while regularly engaging in “dark activity,” i.e. operating with its AIS location and identity beacon turned off. MARZIYA and PHOENIX are being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. VIRGO is being identified as property in which PHOENIX has an interest.
VALIANT MARINE VENTURES FZE (VALIANT) has been the commercial manager of AMOR (IMO: 9182291) since at least December 2021. AMOR loaded Iranian crude oil at Kharg Island, Lavan, and Sirri, Iran, at least fourteen times between January 2022 and January 2025, transporting over 20 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, while regularly conducting “dark activity” during its voyages. VALIANT is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. AMOR is being identified as property in which VALIANT has an interest.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 13846, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all entities and individuals that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.
Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page.
Deputy Secretary Landau’s meeting with UK Permanent Under Secretary Robbins
04/10/2025
Deputy Secretary Landau’s meeting with UK Permanent Under Secretary Robbins
04/10/2025 08:33 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau met with UK Permanent Under-Secretary Oliver Robbins today. The Deputy Secretary underscored the depth of the United States’ bonds with the United Kingdom, and the Administration’s desire to continue to work cooperatively. Both stressed the importance of commercial and economic ties, and the need to ensure that both the government and the public in each country understands the other’s perspective.
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Valtonen
04/10/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Valtonen
04/10/2025 09:25 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen during her visit to Washington, D.C. Secretary Rubio appreciated Finland’s contributions to European security, its decision to increase defense spending, and ongoing cooperation on icebreakers. The Secretary emphasized President Trump’s resolve to achieve an enduring peace in Ukraine and welcomed Finland’s support in realizing that goal.
The Week at State: April 4 – April 10, 2025
04/11/2025
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April 4 – April 10
World Expo 2025 opens April 13 in Osaka, Japan, featuring the USA Pavilion's immersive exhibits on American innovation and space exploration.
Here's what happened at State this week. ⤵️🤝 President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
🌍 Secretary Rubio wrapped up his NATO visit, emphasizing President Trump's call for Allies to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
🏈 NFL representatives joined Secretary Rubio to celebrate American excellence through football.
Reaffirming Commitments, Advancing Diplomacy
On April 7, President Trump met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, demonstrating that the U.S. is a great ally to Israel.
The two leaders discussed the urgent need for Hamas to release all hostages in Gaza and emphasized their shared commitment to peace.
President Trump also reaffirmed that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and noted that the U.S. is actively pursuing a diplomatic solution. On April 9, the U.S. announced new sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program.
Brussels Brief: NATO Visit Recap
Secretary Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker depart a press briefing at the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2025. (State Dept./Freddie Everett)
Secretary Rubio wrapped up his visit to NATO headquarters with a clear message: The stronger and more capable our NATO partners are, the stronger our Alliance.
In remarks to the press and to young journalists from The Youth News Foundation, the Secretary spoke about how increased defense spending by members will help the Alliance tackle today's threats and prepare for tomorrow.
Kicking Off Sports Diplomacy: NFL at State
Secretary Marco Rubio hosts an NFL "DC Day" Reception at the Department of State in Washington, DC, April 8, 2025.
On April 8, Secretary Rubio welcomed representatives from the National Football League (NFL) to the State Department.
Through sports diplomacy, we're expanding American sports culture to new markets and connecting more young people to the game globally.
Are You REAL ID Ready?
On May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers will need to present a REAL ID–compliant license/ID for air travel within the United States. A U.S. passport meets this requirement.
Find other REAL ID options or learn how to apply for or renew your passport.
News You May Have MissedSecretary Rubio joined Donald Trump Jr. on his podcast Triggered, where he addressed cracking down on violent cartels and promoting an America First foreign policy.
We honored the 2025 International Women of Courage Award winners for their strength and leadership.
Ambassador Dorothy Shea emphasized the importance of harnessing trustworthy AI for international peace and security during a meeting of the UN Security Council.
G7 Foreign Ministers expressed concern over China's large-scale military drills around Taiwan and encouraged the peaceful resolution of issues through constructive cross-Strait dialogue.
The U.S. imposed visa and travel restrictions on South Sudan due to their Transitional Government's failure to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.
We welcomed home American Ksenia Karelina, who was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year.
Looking AheadApril 13: World Expo 2025 begins in Osaka, Japan
April 23-30: Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust
Note to Our Readers
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Palm Sunday Attack on Sumy
04/13/2025
Palm Sunday Attack on Sumy
04/13/2025 01:22 PM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
The United States extends our deepest condolences to the victims of today’s horrifying Russian missile attack on Sumy.
This is a tragic reminder of why President Trump and his Administration are putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war and achieve a just and durable peace.
Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea at the United States-Republic of Korea Civil Space Dialogue
04/14/2025
Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea at the United States-Republic of Korea Civil Space Dialogue
04/14/2025 05:21 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea at the Fourth United States-Republic of Korea Civil Space Dialogue.
Begin Text
Officials from the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) met in Washington, DC on April 14 for the fourth U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue. The U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Technology, and Space Affairs Rahima Kandahari and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator for International Relations Karen Feldstein jointly led an interagency U.S. delegation. The ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Director-General of the Climate Change, Environment and Scientific Affairs Bureau Minyoung Han and Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) Vice Administrator of Mission Directorates John Lee jointly led the ROK delegation.
Noting that the U.S.-ROK Alliance stands as the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific, the two sides committed to strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance through further space cooperation, including joint research in space exploration and science, Earth observation, and enhanced regulatory cooperation.
Space officials for the United States and the ROK discussed enhancing space exploration cooperation in Artemis and other missions and noted NASA and KASA’s October 2024 completion of a study agreement on future Artemis cooperation. The two sides shared progress on the implementation of the study agreement and noted ongoing discussions on the use of the Korean Deep Space Antennae (KDSA) to support Artemis and other missions. The two sides plan to continue discussing how to boost the ROK investment in capabilities that support shared goals in Moon and Mars exploration.
The two sides also discussed the ROK’s activities to develop and mature Korean human spaceflight capabilities and will explore potential human spaceflight opportunities to low Earth orbit. The two sides discussed recent space science cooperation, such as implementing the September 2024 NASA-KASA study agreement on cooperation for a potential KASA-led Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 4 Mission and identifying opportunities to expand partnerships to upcoming NASA-led astrophysics missions.
In Earth observation, the two sides discussed continued collaboration on future next-generation meteorological geostationary satellites, and potential ROK participation in the U.S. Landsat 2030 International Partnership Initiative. The two sides affirmed their desire to expand cooperation in exchanging satellite data, including from Compact Advanced Satellite 4 (CAS500-4) scheduled for launch in 2026, to enhance the usability of satellite data, increase the interoperability of satellites of both countries, and strengthen agricultural monitoring and real-time response capabilities to disasters and emergencies. The two sides also highlighted the successful Airborne and Satellite Investigation of the Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) mission from 2024 and the soon to be released joint Rapid Science Synthesis Report.
The two sides welcomed the successful launch of NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope, in which the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) participates as an instrument and science partner. The two sides intend to further strengthen our partnership in astronomy and space weather, including ROK cooperation in NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission and NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) mission. The two sides also intend to expand efforts in key technologies to enhance space weather prediction and forecasting capabilities.
The United States pledged to continue support for the ROK’s development of the Korean Positioning System (KPS) as an interoperable regional system that complements the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), including potentially hosting KPS ground monitor stations on U.S. territory. As the host country for the 19th annual meeting of the UN-affiliated International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) scheduled for October 2025, the ROK will welcome the U.S. delegation as its most important partner in satellite navigation cooperation.
Noting the success of the ROK-U.S. Space Industry Symposium held November 8, 2023, in Seoul, the United States and ROK intend to continue discussions to facilitate deeper U.S.-ROK commercial space cooperation, including potential ROK support for space situational awareness, lunar exploration, and resilient supply chains. The U.S. encouraged the ROK and Korean companies to engage with private U.S. firms that are working to establish Commercial LEO Destinations (CLDs). The two sides intend to explore opportunities for ROK’s participation in lunar exploration through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. NASA and KASI noted significant progress towards launching KASI’s lunar science payload on a NASA CLPS mission in 2026. The two sides discussed the possibility of exchanging radiation test data and enhancing resilient supply chains by mutually recognizing their test reports or certifications.
On regulatory alignment, the ROK presented its space regulatory framework for the launch and the operation of spaceports, and the United States also presented its launch and re-entry regulatory framework. The two sides noted the recent meeting of the U.S.-ROK Working Group on Export Controls as affirmed in the third Civil Space Dialogue. The two sides intend to hold a follow-up meeting later this year to enhance mutual understanding on this issue.
The two sides plan to continue to meet to share standards and best practices for leveraging space situational awareness capabilities to improve spaceflight safety and sustainability. The two sides recognized the importance of improved international coordination on this issue, including discussion of data and information sharing principles and engagement with private sector space actors.
To enhance U.S.-ROK Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), the two sides discussed how to cooperate in providing satellite data for securing safe maritime transportation routes and addressing various maritime security threats. The two sides discussed how to enhance cooperation on information and infrastructure between the U.S. National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office and the Korea Coast Guard.
The two countries intend to enhance our close cooperation on advancing the peaceful exploration and use of space at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), in the Artemis Accords signatory group, in global fora such as the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), in regional fora such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) and in trilateral U.S.-ROK-Japan civil and commercial space cooperation.
The U.S. delegation included representatives from the Department of State, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce (OSC), the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The ROK delegation included representatives from the MOFA, KASA, the Rural Development Administration (RDA), the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), and KASI.
To further bilateral civil and commercial space cooperation, the two sides plan to hold the U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue every two years, with the ROK hosting the next dialogue in 2027.
End Text
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
04/14/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
04/14/2025 06:48 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
Readout
April 14, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan today the dangers to regional security and stability posed by Iran and its proxies. They agreed on the importance of counterterrorism cooperation and strengthening NATO.
Tags
Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Iran Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Turkey
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
04/15/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
04/15/2025 03:37 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
Readout
April 15, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The Secretary informed Foreign Minister Szijjarto of senior Hungarian official Antal Rogan’s removal from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, noting that continued designation was inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy interests. Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Szijjarto also discussed ways to strengthen U.S.-Hungary alignment on critical issues and opportunities for economic cooperation.
Tags
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy Hungary Office of the Spokesperson Sanctions and Designations The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
04/15/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
04/15/2025 03:37 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto
Readout
April 15, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The Secretary informed Foreign Minister Szijjarto of senior Hungarian official Antal Rogan’s removal from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, noting that continued designation was inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy interests. Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Szijjarto also discussed ways to strengthen U.S.-Hungary alignment on critical issues and opportunities for economic cooperation.
Tags
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy Hungary Office of the Spokesperson Sanctions and Designations The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Participation in Meetings in Paris, France
04/16/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Participation in Meetings in Paris, France
04/16/2025 08:09 AM ED
Tammy Bruce, Department Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Participation in Meetings in Paris, France
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Secretary Rubio’s Participation in Meetings in Paris, France
Press Statement
April 16, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Steve Witkoff will travel to Paris, France, April 16-18 for talks with European counterparts to advance President Trump’s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop the bloodshed. While in Paris, he will also discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs France Office of the Spokesperson Russia The Secretary of State Ukraine
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Papadopoulou
04/16/2025
Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Papadopoulou
04/16/2025 01:40 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Papadopoulou
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Deputy Secretary Landau’s Call with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Papadopoulou
Readout
April 16, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou by phone today and reaffirmed the importance of U.S.-Greece relations and Greece’s valued role in promoting regional stability. The Deputy Secretary praised Greece’s strong defense spending as a model for other European partners. The Deputy Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister also discussed shared priorities to end illegal migration, Greece’s leadership in regional energy projects, as well as the upcoming U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue in Athens.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Deputy Secretary of State Greece Office of the Spokesperson
Digital Press Briefing: Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Corina Sanders
04/17/2025
Digital Press Briefing: Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Corina Sanders
04/17/2025 12:55 PM EDT
Africa Regional Media Hub
MODERATOR: Good afternoon to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Africa Regional Media Hub. I welcome our participants logging in across the continent and thank all of you for joining us today. We are very pleased to be joined by the U.S. Department of State’s new Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Corina Sanders, who are both joining us from Washington, D.C.
Senior Advisor Boulos will review his April 2nd through 9th travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Discussion will include ongoing efforts to advance a durable peace in the eastern DRC and highlight opportunities to expand U.S. private sector investment across the African region.
Please note that on your Zoom app, you may choose between an English-only feed and a French-only audio feed using the interpretation tab. I recommend choosing either the English or the French feed, not the original audio because there’ll be some crosstalk on the original audio.
We will begin today’s briefing with opening remarks from Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Corina Sanders, and then from Senior Advisor Boulos, and then we will turn to your questions. We will try to get to as many of your questions as we can during the briefing.
So with that, I’d like to turn it over to DAS Sanders for her opening remarks, followed by opening remarks by Senior Advisor Boulos.
MS SANDERS: Good morning, Johann. Good morning, everyone. Thank you very much for this opportunity to be here with you today. First of all, I just want to say we had an excellent trip, and it was truly an honor to travel with Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos, and what he brings to bear is really important. He brings business acumen, and he brings extensive experience on the continent, and that serves the State Department and it serves this Trump Administration and it serves the State Department.
And so this was our inaugural trip together, and we had really two goals. One was to drive forward and get more momentum on the peace agreement and the peace process in eastern DRC, and also, how to bring U.S. investment to the region in Central Africa and the Great Lakes region. These are two extremely important priorities for the Trump Administration in Africa, and I am pleased to tell you that we made good progress – great progress, if you will – on both.
What I’ll do now is pass it over to Senior Advisor Boulos for a few more details and a little bit of a readout for you on our four stops on the continent. Thank you very much.
MR BOULOS: Thank you, Corina. This was a very productive trip, and I am grateful to all the countries and leaders who hosted us. This initiative is a reflection of President Trump’s commitment to Africa, and his desire for regional peace. Our team’s efforts are a product of his vision to see an Africa that is anchored in shared economic opportunities, not in conflict. And President Trump believes strongly that all parties involved are ready for peace. Now, he expects all parties to demonstrate that readiness through action.
I want to highlight three results from our delegation’s travel, important results that demonstrate the fresh approach President Trump is taking with Africa by pursuing our security interests while strengthening our economic relationship with the people and nations in Africa through greater trade and investment.
So let me start first in Kinshasa. President Tshisekedi and I discussed a minerals deal and charted a path forward. Boosting U.S. private sector investment in the DRC, particularly in the mining sector, is a shared goal that makes both of our countries more prosperous. Of course, we need a more stable environment to achieve this objective, and President Tshisekedi is committed to this goal as well.
Second – we also made important progress on the security front, as following our discussions with conflict participants, M23 pulled back from the town of Walikale. This is a significant step, and these kinds of measures are critical to building confidence and demonstrating goodwill to allow negotiations for peace to continue.
Since taking office, Secretary Rubio has had calls with Rwandan President Kagame and DRC President Tshisekedi urging an immediate ceasefire in the region and for all parties to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Secretary also spoke with Angolan Foreign Minister Tete and Kenyan President Ruto about finding a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. I thank those who have been engaged in good-faith discussions thus far, but it’s not enough. We have an opportunity for peace in this moment that we have not had for years – I hope to see parties involved take bolder steps to make that reality. I will also reiterate our position that Rwanda should cease all military support of M23 and withdraw all Rwandan troops from DRC territory. I am confident that parties involved will find a way to do so swiftly.
And finally, we were able to finalize the transfer into the United States’ custody of U.S. citizens who were detained by the Democratic Republic of Congo in connection with the events of May 19, 2024.
Thank you.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you very much, Senior Advisor Boulos and DAS Sanders. So we’ll now begin the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing.
So for our first question, I’d like to go to Mr. Moses Gahigi of AFP and The EastAfrican newspaper in Rwanda, and the question is: “Is Washington considering providing support to Kinshasa to put an end to the conflict, and if so, what kind of support?”
Senior Advisor Boulos.
MR BOULOS: Actually, the United States will consider all diplomatic and economic tools to advance peace. It is in everybody’s interest to promote peace and to advance peace and to ensure we have stability in the region. This conflict has gone on for too long. It’s been more than three decades, and it’s about time to end it.
So the United States does have quite a bit of tools at its disposal that it can and will use, if need be. We do hope that this will achieve a permanent peace and final stability in the region.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you very much, Senior Advisor. So we have a question from Senegal next, Ms. Monica Pronczuk from the Associated Press, and the question is: “Are you concerned that African countries are leaning more towards China or Russia? And how does the U.S. plan to counter the influence of China and Russia in Africa?”
MR BOULOS: Go ahead.
MS SANDERS: Sure. Thank you very much, Senior Advisor. What I’d like to – what I’d like to say is, first, thank you for the question. Second, I’d just like to say that this isn’t really the purpose of this particular interview today, and I don’t want to get into any details about China’s role in Africa. But what I want to tell you is really important, and that America First promotes investment and enhances industrial and technology advantages, which I believe will serve the African continent well.
American First – America First also defends our economic and national security interests and supports our workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, businesses. The Trump Administration’s America First trade policy benefits all Americans, and we are safer – we are all safer – when other nations invest in our country. And President Trump is also focused on creating jobs, raising wages, bringing manufacturing back to the United States, and he’s been very clear that if trading partners align with our effort to achieve fairness and balance on our trading relationships and protect U.S. economic and national security, we’re going to absolutely welcome that cooperation.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you very much, DAS Sanders. All right, so I see some hands raised. I’d like to see if we can open the mike for Kemi Osukoya of Africa Bazaar magazine.
QUESTION: Hi, good morning. Can you hear me?
MS SANDERS: Yes.
QUESTION: Thank you very much for taking my question. You mentioned meeting with several of the African leaders. My question to you is: Did you bring any private sector – American private sector with you along on this trip? And how do you plan to build on what the previous administration have established in terms of the private sector interests’ engagement with Africa? If you could give us some specific.
MR BOULOS: Yes, absolutely. Thank you for this question. This is a very important point. As you know, this – our initiative and the discussions we’ve been having with the DRC and with other countries in the region as well – we’ve had similar discussions with Rwanda and Uganda and Kenya and others – this is driven by the private sector. Our job and our role here is to encourage private sector U.S. investments in these countries.
And just to go back to your specific question, on this trip we didn’t have any members of the private sector with us. However, there were many that were already in those countries. I mean, some U.S. companies are existing and have been operating in these countries for a number of years, whether it’s DRC or Rwanda or Uganda or Kenya. So we’ve met with many of them during the trip. But prior to the trip, we’ve been having roundtable events and we’ve been having private meetings with many, many of them. And they are all – I could say that they are very eager and ready to invest for those who are not already there, they are ready and they’re open. So our job is to facilitate those investments, and we appreciate very much the openness of all four leaders in question with whom we met and had those economic discussions. They’re quite open and welcoming to facilitate U.S. investments.
And I should just quickly mention something here – that when we talk about U.S. investments, we’re talking about a win-win proposition. And when we talk about a minerals deal here or some other deal there, we’re talking about a win-win proposition. These companies are good corporate citizens. These companies will help protect the interests of those host countries and the people of those host countries. These are companies who are law-abiding citizens. They will fully abide by the local laws, rules, and regulations whether it’s environmental or labor laws or any other laws with regards to taxation and all other regulations. At the same time, these companies are also bound by U.S. laws with regards to the environment, to child labor, to taxation, to corruption and many other things. So we’re talking about companies that will add value that will protect the interests of the indigenous people of those countries in question.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Senior Advisor. So I’d like to build on that last Q&A. There are a couple of questions that have come in asking for a slightly deeper dive into that. Simon Marks of Bloomberg News in Nairobi asks: “Can you elaborate on the terms of a potential mineral deal between the U.S. and DRC? How would it work in practice, and what would the U.S. grant the DRC in exchange to access to Congo’s mineral sector?” And a very similar question from Ruth Maclean of The New York Times in Senegal, who asks: “I would like to ask about the minerals agreement you mentioned. Can you outline what such an agreement would look like, what the U.S. is seeking?” And she adds: “As you know, China currently dominates the DRC’s mining sector. Are you asking the Congolese to strip Chinese owners of mining concessions?” So those two questions, a little bit deeper dive into the possibility of a minerals agreement if you don’t mind.
MR BOULOS: Yeah, it’s actually a minerals deal. It’s a deal we’re discussing and negotiating with the Congolese. But also as I said, we’re having similar discussions with other neighboring countries, other regional players. The – obviously, our role, like I said earlier, is to facilitate those private sector investments, but at the same time also provide full support. We – the United States has some few platforms, institutions, organizations that have been and will continue to provide full support; such as the DFC, for example, the U.S. EXIM Bank, and some other institutions and organizations. Those institutions are absolutely ready to support the private sector in Africa, whether it’s in the area of mining or other sectors, but also and most importantly in the infrastructure.
We are looking and we look forward to the development – infrastructure development, especially in the DRC. It’s about time the DRC has a reliable infrastructure, which will also be in our interest and the interests of those U.S. investors, but above all in the interest of the Congolese people. We – you’re aware that we fully support the Lobito Corridor, for example, and this has – this is a huge project which is extremely important and vital for this – for the economies of not only Congo or the DRC, but also Zambia and definitely Angola. But all other regional countries would benefit from it.
So we fully support this project. The DFC is one of the major players in terms of providing the financing which hopefully will be – will be done quite soon. But the project has progressed considerably, especially on the Angolan side. We’re now discussing with the Congolese, Tshisekedi’s administration, to work on the Congolese side with regards to railways, highways, but also power projects including dams and hydroelectric projects.
So we’re having a number of discussions with regards to both the investments and the infrastructure that goes with it. But also at the same time we’re having discussions with regards to some reforms, and the President Tshisekedi and his administration have promised that they will ensure full transparency, they will ensure that there will be efficiency, and all concerns of private – of U.S. investors will be addressed.
With regards to other companies and other players and other countries that are existing and already operating there, it’s none of our business to interfere with what they’re doing. We’re pursuing our own ventures and we’re facilitating investments of our own companies. And time will tell. I think very soon the Congolese people – and if it’s the other countries same thing – they will – the Congolese people will realize who are their best partners. And I think it goes without saying U.S. companies will absolutely be the best partners. And we’ve stressed on the point that whatever the U.S. will do in terms of private sector investments and government support, it will absolutely be a win-win proposition in all cases.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Senior Advisor. So moving on to some of the more political insecurity issues, I see Pearl Matibe of Premium Times in Nigeria has had her hand up. Pearl, can we open your mic and let you ask your question live?
QUESTION: Thank you so much, Johann. It’s good to talk to you again. Happy 2025. Haven’t chatted with you in a little bit. Senior Advisor Boulos and Corina, please, thank you so much for your availability. I really appreciate it. I was monitoring very closely your trip, so I’m very excited that you are doing this briefing today.
My question is this: In light of the withdrawal of EAC and SADC regional forces from the DRC, how does the Trump Administration plan to help fill the security vacuum, especially with the challenges of MONUSCO that MONUSCO’s been facing, and ISIS-DRC scaling up its footprint? I know I have many questions, but if you can also let me know if it’s okay for me to send those on to you offline for my additional questions, I want to respect the time of the other journalists. Thank you so much.
MR BOULOS: Thank you, Pearl. This is a very important question, and you’ve highlighted a couple of key issues here, the MONUSCO and the other regional efforts – EAC, SADC. Well, let me first make something very clear. The U.S. position has been and will continue to be very, very clear on this. The U.S. position is that the M23 must lay down their arms, and Rwandan forces must withdraw from the DRC. This is our position, and it’s very clear. We’ve made it very clear, and we will continue pushing in that direction.
Now, having said that, we all know that this can only be resolved peacefully. This is not – this cannot be won and cannot be concluded with force. This has to be resolved through dialogue and peacefully. And I can also report that I’m sure you’ve seen that we’ve recently seen some very good progress. There have been some gestures I would say in good faith and gestures of goodwill on the ground. As I indicated in my opening statement, the M23 through the assistance of the Rwandan Government, of course, and by – through probably with some pressure or push from the Rwandans, were able to withdraw from Walikale back towards the east, probably over a hundred kilometers eastward towards Masisi and probably beyond Masisi. This move allowed our U.S. company Alphamin to reopen, and we’ve seen that – which helped – I mean, Alphamin had to shut down unfortunately their operations about a month ago when the M23 had reached Walikale. But not just Walikale; we all know the plan was to continue all the way to Kisangani, and that would have been detrimental from a strategic point of view.
But with regards to our U.S. interests, the Alphamin, which is a U.S. company, had to shut down. But this did not only affect the United States. This affected the entire world. It affected the global market for tin. We saw that very shortly after that announcement and that shutdown, the tin market rose by close to 30 percent or more. And then within a couple of hours of their announcement last week that they would reopen, it went down considerably. So we appreciate that. This is – this was a good gesture. And we are looking forward to more and more of those.
We’re in the process of working with both parties. We’re engaged with both parties. And I must also say here that we appreciate the recent dialogue held by President Tshisekedi’s administration and the M-23 for the first time last week. And it was very successful and very fruitful by all counts, and this is a very good first step. We are looking forward to building on this towards achieving a final peace and a lasting peace and full stability in the DRC and in the region.
But with regards to the EAC and SADC, I must say – and the African Union as well, we highly appreciate their efforts. They’ve been trying and doing their best for a very long time, for many years. And we appreciate very much what they’ve done, and we continue to encourage those initiatives. They’re all very, very positive initiatives. We had the pleasure of meeting with President Ruto, who is the current head of EAC. And he’s absolutely committed to seeing a peaceful end to this but, most importantly, a quick one. We – just like President Trump expressed and I said earlier in my opening statement, we do expect and hope and expect that this will end very, very quickly.
Corina, would you like to —
MS SANDERS: No, I think it’s really important. With respect to security on the ground in eastern DRC, what I’ll say is we’re currently putting together our own strategy to see what will be acceptable to both sides, to all sides, to the region. And so that’s in progress, and we’ll tell you more when we can.
MODERATOR: Thanks very much to our panelists. And I appreciated, Senior Advisor Boulos, that you got into the African Union, because that was the subject of question from Mr. Mohammed Tawakel of Al Jazeera Media Network based in Ethiopia. But I think you answered that very well. The question was: “What is your opinion on solving conflicts in Africa and your cooperation with African Union?” Any further thoughts? I mean, you’ve already fleshed this out a good deal, but any further thoughts about the sort of multilateral picture, the African Union, the other parties in the region, in response to his question?
MR BOULOS: Yes. And as I indicated, we fully support these initiatives, including the African Union specifically, which is headed by Angola now. And we couldn’t visit Angola on this trip, but we will definitely visit Angola on the next trip. Having said that, we had a phone call with the – with Foreign Minister Tete, as I indicated, and it was extremely positive. We appreciated their efforts. We appreciated their initiatives. As Angola initially – we all know that they’ve tried over a long period of time, and they’ve – they came very close. But now also as head – President Lourenco as head of the AU, we fully appreciate their efforts and we fully support those efforts. So it is in everybody’s interest to continue with these.
And I must say that also not just those three, also ECOWAS. ECOWAS, although it’s West Africa, but they are ready. They have been a major and key player in the continent, especially with regards to peacekeeping missions and many other things. They are also absolutely ready and committed to this peace process.
MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much. So we’re creeping up on 30 minutes past the hour, and I know both our panelists are very busy. We originally told you we would keep it to 30 minutes, and I think we might be able to slide in one more question, if you don’t mind.
I would like to offer a journalist in the affected countries and in the region as much of a chance as possible to ask a question. So I wonder if Moise Bahati with The New Times newspaper in Kigali – Moise, if we open your mike can you ask your question live? Or else I can read your question. Let’s see. I think in the interest of time I’m – are you online, Moise? I think in the interest of time —
QUESTION: Hello?
MODERATOR: Yes, okay. Moise, yes.
QUESTION: Please, can you hear me?
MODERATOR: Yes, we can hear you.
QUESTION: Great. Great. Thank you. I’m Moise. I’m in Kigali. I’m a reporter with The New Times. I wanted to ask about the – about Senior Advisor Boulos’ visit to Rwanda and his discussions with President Paul Kagame. In your discussions, Senior Advisor, with President Paul Kagame, did you exchange on the FDLR militia, which is in eastern DR Congo, and its threat on Rwanda? And if you did, how did you perceive Rwanda as well? How do you understand Rwanda’s security concerns with regard to this militia and its collaboration with the Congolese Government? Yeah, thank you.
MR BOULOS: Yeah. Thank you very much for this question. First, let me reiterate that we had a very positive meeting with President Kagame and his team, and it was very fruitful and very productive. We appreciated very much their warm reception and welcome, and above all, their commitment to this peace process.
We definitely discussed the FDLR and the risk in question, and this is a major element of any peace accord. It’s going to be; it has been. If you look at all the peace initiatives, I mean, this is the key element from the Rwandan side, and it’s an integral part of any forthcoming, upcoming peace accord or peace initiative or peace agreement. We’ve been engaging with both parties, and definitely this is one of the main elements of those discussions.
And there are solutions. We are not reinventing the wheel here. There are solutions to this. There are solutions and terms that had previously been drafted and agreed upon by both parties, and we will continue working with them towards that. But it’s – in the end, we want to make sure, as I indicated even during my press conference in Kigali, that our role and our commitment is to ensure the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of all countries in question, not just one country or two – all that are involved.
So we remain committed towards supporting these initiatives and these efforts. And at the end of the day, everybody has to be at ease, everybody has to feel comfortable with those terms, and they have to feel safe from any such threats, whether they are actual or perceived, or any future threats. The aim is to establish a full and lasting peace that will put everybody at ease.
Thank you.
MODERATOR: Well, that’s an excellent way to wrap this up. Thank you very much to our panelists. And Senior Advisor Boulos and DAS Sanders, I’m sure you’ll join me in thanking the many journalists who attended today and wish them well in their work. Do you have any final remarks? I know we’ve kept you already very, very long.
MR BOULOS: I just want to say thank you all very much. We really appreciate it. We appreciated the very good level of participation in this conference, and we look forward to some more in the near future. Corina?
MS SANDERS: Absolutely. It’s been a pleasure today. Thank you. This is the beginning; it’s not the end. And we look forward to hearing from you into the future. And I look forward to continuing my work and our work with Senior Advisor Boulos. Thank you very much, Johann.
MODERATOR: All right.
MR BOULOS: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Very important work it is, indeed. Thank you very much to our panelists. So a recording and a transcript of today’s briefing will be distributed to participating journalists as soon as we can produce them. If you have any questions about today’s briefing or any follow-ups, you may contact us at the Africa Regional Media Hub at AFMediaHub@state.gov.
Also, please, to the journalists, if you publish any articles or broadcast any reports from today’s briefing, please share a link with us at the same email that I just gave you. We do like to know that we make an impact, and we like to see the coverage that we engender, especially around the Africa region.
And as a final note, I would like to invite everyone to please follow us on Twitter at our handle @AfricaMediaHub. Thank you very much to everybody today.
MR BOULOS: Thank you.
MS SANDERS: Thank you.
# # #
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
04/17/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
04/17/2025 03:16 PM EDT
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
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April 17, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Secretary conveyed to his Russian counterpart the same message the U.S. team communicated to the Ukrainian delegation and our European allies in Paris: President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace. The encouraging reception in Paris to the U.S. framework shows that peace is possible if all parties commit to reaching an agreement.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Russia The Secretary of State Ukraine
The Week at State: April 11 – April 17, 2025
04/18/2025
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April 11 – April 17
The United States is a beacon of hope for millions around the world. We are championing freedom of speech — a cornerstone of what it means to be an American.
Here's what happened at State this week. ⤵️💬 We worked on dismantling the censorship bureaucracy.
🤝 Secretary Rubio joined President Trump's meeting with President Bukele.
🌏 The USA Pavilion opened at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
Protecting and Championing Free Speech
Secretary Rubio had a conversation with Mike Benz on dismantling the censorship bureaucracy.
On April 16, the Department announced the closure of the State Department's Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference office, formerly known as the Global Engagement Center (GEC). The same day, Secretary Rubio explained this decision further in a conversation with Mike Benz on dismantling the censorship bureaucracy. Watch the full interview.
Commitment to American Security
On April 14, Secretary Rubio joined President Trump in welcoming President Nayib Bukele to the U.S. for his first White House visit.
With the close coordination of President Bukele, the U.S. has deported MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador's prison.
"Our hemisphere is lucky to have two leaders who are totally aligned in their commitment to law and order," Secretary Rubio said on X.
Showcasing American Excellence at Expo 2025
The State Department-run USA Pavilion in Osaka, Japan, features a public exhibit displaying cutting-edge U.S. innovation, tourism, and space exploration.
The USA Pavilion opened on April 13 at Expo 2025 in Osaka, showcasing American innovation, excellence, and leadership in the Indo-Pacific region. During this six-month Expo, the Pavilion will feature five immersive exhibits on U.S.-driven advancements in technology, space exploration, education, culture, and more.
"For more than a century, Expo and World's Fair have showcased human development in different countries across the globe," Deputy Secretary Landau stated on X.
Honoring the Venezuelan Iron Lady
This week, Secretary Rubio paid tribute to María Corina Machado in Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2025.
The Secretary underscored that Machado – also known as the "Venezuelan Iron Lady" – has never backed down from her mission of fighting for a free, fair, and democratic Venezuela.
Secretary Rubio noted, "Her principled leadership is a beacon of hope, making our region and our world a better place."
News You May Have MissedPresident Trump welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the White House.
Secretary Rubio and Ambassador Steve Witkoff traveled to Paris for talks with European officials to advance President Trump's goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce shared her big takeaway for the week, highlighting our work to keep Americans safe.
Officials from the United States and the Republic of Korea met to discuss strengthening our alliance through further space cooperation with joint research in space exploration and science.
Secretary Rubio congratulated President Daniel Noboa on his reelection as Ecuador's president, noting the strong U.S.-Ecuador partnership.
The U.S. extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India to face justice for his role in planning the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
We extended our deepest condolences to the victims of the Russian missile attack on Sumy and reaffirmed the need to end this war and achieve a just and durable peace.
Looking AheadApril 23-30: Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust
May 8: 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
04/18/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
04/18/2025 12:55 PM EDT
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HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
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April 18, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to brief him on the peace proposal presented yesterday to the Ukrainian delegation in Paris and to Russian officials by telephone. The Secretary expressed President Trump’s and the United States’ hopes that this proposal will be accepted and will lead to a durable and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Secretary stressed, while our nation has been committed to helping end the war, if a clear path to peace does not emerge soon, the United States will step back from efforts to broker peace.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Office of the Spokesperson Russia The Secretary of State Ukraine
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