Blumenthal & Warren Visit Brussels to Meet With NATO Leadership & U.S. Mission to the EU
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leadership and members of the European Parliament and U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine and strengthening the transatlantic partnership. Blumenthal and Warren traveled to Belgium from an earlier visit to Kyiv, Ukraine.
Blumenthal and Warren also discussed with NATO leadership how Senate Republican actions to indefinitely block Department of Defense promotions are impacting military readiness and regional security. Hundreds of senior leadership positions have not been filled due to the Republican hold on nominations, including many with direct responsibility for U.S. security in Europe.
“A strong, united NATO is an imperative to defend democratic values and freedom. The support from the U.S. and our allies – supplying weapons, aircraft, and other humanitarian and military aid – has played a major role in Ukraine’s success on the battlefield. With the addition of Finland and Sweden, the alliance has never been stronger. One thing is clear as we head back to Washington – continued cooperation is essential to safety and security of the United States, our allies, and the rule of law globally,” Blumenthal said. “We’ll press for sustained strong bipartisan support— including prompt approval of the $24 billion supplemental— so America can continue to lead by example. My in-depth conversations with senior military leadership here confirm my worst fears about the effect of Senator Tuberville obstructing promotions in undermining NATO's trust and confidence in America as well as morale of our armed forces.”
“As Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, I was glad to meet with NATO leadership and members of the European Parliament and Mission to the EU to discuss the importance of supporting Ukraine and strengthening our alliances to protect our democracies. Senior military leaders confirmed that Republican Senator Tuberville’s holds on military promotions are jeopardizing NATO’s effectiveness and U.S. national security. With members of the E.U. Parliament, we exchanged ideas on how the E.U. is advancing critical legislation to take on monopolies and efforts by U.S. antitrust enforcers to increase competition. I look forward to bringing this firsthand perspective to Congress” said Warren.
The senators met with Members of the European Parliament, including Paul Tang, Ernest Urtasun, Assita Kanko, Eero Heinäluoma, Ondrej Kovarik, and Lidia Pereira, to discuss competition policy, anti-money laundering, and cryptocurrency regulation.
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