U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

 

Montenegro Statehood Day 07/13/2025 Montenegro Statehood Day 07/13/2025 12:01 AM EDT Marco Rubio, Secretary of State HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Montenegro Statehood Day hide Montenegro Statehood Day Press Statement July 13, 2025 On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of Montenegro on your Statehood Day. As NATO Allies, our nations share a commitment to securing a safer and more prosperous future. We look forward to deepening our partnership across infrastructure, energy, defense, and technology, while working together to promote peace and stability in the Western Balkans. On this special day, we celebrate the enduring friendship between our countries and commend Montenegro for its leadership in pledging to meet NATO’s 5 percent defense spending goal, a testament to our shared dedication to security and collective defense. Tags Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Montenegro Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State France National Day 07/14/2025 France National Day 07/14/2025 12:01 AM EDT Marco Rubio, Secretary of State HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…France National Day hide France National Day Press Statement July 14, 2025 On behalf of the United States of America, I extend our congratulations to the people of the French Republic as you celebrate Bastille Day. The United States is proud to stand with France as a trusted friend and partner. Our nations’ enduring friendship is rooted in the defense of freedom and democratic order. We welcome France’s role in advancing the landmark commitment by NATO Allies to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP. This step strengthens our collective deterrence and enhances our ability to meet modern threats. Our cooperation extends far beyond security. Together, we are working to expand trade and investment, promote energy independence, safeguard critical technologies, and address global challenges from the Sahel to the Indo-Pacific. We value our ongoing cooperation with our oldest Ally in combatting illegal immigration, defending freedom of expression, and countering unfair trade practices. We look forward to deepening our ties in the years ahead, guided by our common commitment to liberty, peace, and prosperity. Tags Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs France Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Secretary Rubio’s Call with Transatlantic Quad Foreign Ministers 07/14/2025 Secretary Rubio’s Call with Transatlantic Quad Foreign Ministers 07/14/2025 04:10 PM EDT Office of the Spokesperson HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Call with Transatlantic Quad Foreign Ministers hide Secretary Rubio’s Call with Transatlantic Quad Foreign Ministers Readout July 14, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom today about fostering stability in the Middle East and ensuring Iran does not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon. On the Russia-Ukraine war, the Secretary underscored that it remains a priority of President Trump to bring the war to an end through a durable negotiated settlement. Tags Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs France Germany Multilateral Relations and Cooperation Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State United Kingdom Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani 07/15/2025 Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani 07/15/2025 11:11 AM EDT Office of the Spokesperson HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani hide Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani Readout July 15, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and shared priorities on China and Latin America. They reviewed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and discussed next steps to ensure Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. Tags Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Italy Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State MSMT Report on Unlawful North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation  07/17/2025 MSMT Report on Unlawful North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation  07/17/2025 04:12 PM EDT Office of the Spokesperson HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…MSMT Report on Unlawful North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation  hide MSMT Report on Unlawful North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation  Media Note July 17, 2025 Today at the United Nations, U.S. Department of State Director for Korean and Mongolian Affairs Seth Bailey briefed UN member states on the first Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report, which focuses on unlawful military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.  Director Bailey detailed evidence of North Korea’s arms and materiel transfers to Russia, Russia’s transfer of military technology to North Korea, and Russia’s training of North Korean troops in Russia.  Director Bailey shared the United States continues to support the complete denuclearization of North Korea and is determined to hold it accountable for its UN sanctions violations.  He noted the MSMT aims to continue publishing timely, globally relevant, and fact-based reports on North Korea’s UN sanctions violations across a range of topics.    The MSMT, a mechanism established to monitor and report violations and evasions of United Nations sanctions on North Korea, was launched in 2024 after Russia vetoed the renewal of the UN 1718 Committee Panel of Experts mandate, which previously served this function.  Currently, the MSMT is comprised of 11 participating states:  Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States.  The May 29, 2025 report is available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic.  The MSMT welcomes interest from additional states to participate in the mechanism.  For more information, see: https://msmt.info/ .     Tags Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs North Korea Office of the Spokesperson Russia Sanctions and Designations United Nations (UN) The Week at State: July 11 – July 17, 2025 07/18/2025 July 11 – July 17 Get ready, Osaka! President Trump has announced a Presidential Delegation to represent the United States at the World Expo on July 19, 2025.  Here’s what happened at State this week.   President Trump held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.  Secretary Rubio met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.  Deputy Secretary Landau met with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. NATO Agreement a ‘Win for American Taxpayers’ President Trump hosts a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the White House. (Official White House Photo) On July 14, President Trump hosted a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and other senior officials at the White House to discuss advancing support for Ukraine’s defense. Assistant to the President and Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg met with President Zelenskyy to discuss this support.  Earlier this month, Secretary Rubio reflected on U.S. engagement with NATO and noted in a USA Today opinion piece that “President Trump’s decade-long calls for NATO allies to contribute more to shared security have recently been answered with a historic commitment among allies to spend a once-unthinkable 5% of gross domestic product on defense − a number that reflects both fairness and strategic wisdom.”  The achievement of the Hague defense agreement at the NATO Summit in June also reflects a “win for American taxpayers.” Once 5% commitments are reached, NATO will be “substantially stronger and more capable of defending against threats.” Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation With Bahrain Secretary Rubio met with the Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the State Department. (State Department) On July 16, Secretary Rubio met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani to sign a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU).  “This is an important signing,” Secretary Rubio said in his remarks. “It serves as the first step towards a deeper civil nuclear cooperation – an example that the United States is prepared to be a partner with any nation on Earth that wants to pursue a civil nuclear program that clearly is not geared towards weaponization or threatening the security of their neighbors.”   NCMOUs are important diplomatic tools developed during President Trump’s first term in office that lay the foundation for expanding strategic ties between the United States and its partners and promote U.S. industry and workforce. Security and Stability in Haiti Deputy Secretary Landau met with the Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the State Department. (State Department) On July 14, Deputy Secretary of State Landau met with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to discuss ongoing efforts to restore security and advance political stability in Haiti. “The United States stands with the Haitian people in their pursuit of security, peace, and a return to order,” the Deputy Secretary said on X.  News You May Have Missed Deputy Secretary Landau travels to Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, to attend the U.S. National Day at the World Expo on July 19 and deepen the U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship.  Secretary Rubio met with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and shared priorities on China and Latin America.  Secretary Rubio held a call with Transatlantic Quad Members to foster stability in the Middle East and ensure Iran does not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon. The White House finalized an important deal with the Republic of Indonesia on committing to balancing our trade deficit. Secretary Rubio met with Japan’s Foreign Minister and the Republic of Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister to further strengthen the trilateral partnership. Secretary Rubio met with employees at U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur and U.S. Mission to ASEAN to thank them for their service. Looking Ahead July 19: U.S. National Day at 2025 World Expo Osaka Note to Our Readers  We welcome feedback at EmailTeam@state.gov  Was this forwarded to you? Subscribe to The Week at State for weekly updates on important work, activities, and news straight from the State Department. Useful links Travel advisories and updates for U.S. Citizens Did you know that you can invite a State Department official to speak at your school, business, or organization? 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