U.S. Department of State :The Week at State: April 10 - April 16, 2026

 

/  Share April 10 – April 16 With America's 250th anniversary just around the corner, we are honoring Paul Revere's midnight ride on April 18, 1775 — the spark that ignited the American Revolution. Here’s what happened at State this week.  President Trump announced a 10-day cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, marking the first direct negotiations between the two countries since 1993. Secretary Rubio met with his counterparts from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Finland, and the Netherlands. We expanded visa restrictions for individuals in the Western Hemisphere who support U.S. adversaries.  Ten Day Cessation of Hostilities to Enable Peace Negotiations Between Israel and Lebanon Secretary Rubio joins working-level peace talks with Israeli Ambassador to the United States Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Hamadeh at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., April 14, 2026. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett) President Trump announced a 10-day cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon beginning April 16. This marked the first direct negotiations between the two countries since 1993. Following productive trilateral talks on April 14 convened by Secretary Rubio, both nations committed to creating conditions for lasting peace, full recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and genuine border security. The United States will facilitate further direct negotiations. The objective is achieving a comprehensive agreement that ensures lasting security, stability, and peace between the two countries. Secretary Rubio Hosts Foreign Ministers Secretary Rubio meets with counterparts from Egypt, Finland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Netherlands in Washington, D.C., April 14 and 15, 2026. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett) Secretary Rubio underscored shared interests and commercial cooperation in talks with foreign counterparts this week, including Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty, who visited the State Department to discuss regional security concerns. Following conversations with Kyrgyz Republic Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev, and Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Erzhan Kazykhanov, Secretary Rubio noted the continued importance of the C5 + 1 framework for U.S.-Central Asian cooperation on energy, economy, and security.  The Secretary held separate meetings with Dutch Foreign Minister Berendsen and  Finnish Foreign Minister Valtonen, emphasizing supply-chain security and emerging technologies, respectively.   Expanding Visa Restrictions to Counter Adversarial Influence in Western Hemisphere We are restricting U.S. visas for individuals from countries in our hemisphere who support our adversaries in undermining America’s interests in our region. Under the newly expanded policy, the United States has already taken action against 26 individuals in several countries. The Trump Administration continues to work for the American people and to promote our region’s safety and prosperity. U.S. Revokes Iranian Nationals’ Visas On April 11, Secretary Rubio announced that the United States had revoked visas for Seyed Eissa Hashemi and his family. Eissa Hashemi’s mother, Masoumeh Ebtekar, was the spokesperson for Islamist militants during the 1979 Hostage Crisis. “America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families - and under the Trump Administration, it never will,” said Secretary Rubio.  U.S. Embassies Celebrate Artemis II Worldwide Embassy Ottawa commemorates the Artemis II splashdown with images of its crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Artemis II splashed down in the Pacific just after 8 p.m. EDT off the coast of California on April 10, after a ten-day, 694,481-mile slingshot journey around the moon that took the crew farther from earth than humans have ever travelled.   U.S. embassies hosted splashdown watch parties worldwide, including in Canada, which was represented by crew member Jeremy Hansen.  News You May Have Missed Secretary Rubio has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. The U.S. issued new sanctions targeting Iran’s shadow fleet and oil-for-gold terror financing network.  Finland joined the Pax Silica Initiative, confirming a shared bilateral desire to remain at the cutting edge of the global AI revolution. Secretary Rubio observed the U.S. Days of Remembrance, emphasizing the importance of historical memory. President Trump hosted King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands at the White House, strengthening bilateral ties.  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? Learn about what we do through the firsthand experience of one of our representatives.  Read More at State.gov

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