Blinken embarks on Brussels visit

Washington, April 13
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday embarked on a visit to Brussels, Belgium, to consult with NATO allies on a range of shared priorities.

Taking to Twitter, Blinken said: "Glad to be heading back to Brussels. The US is committed to rebuilding US alliances, particularly with our NATO allies.

"We remain steadfast in our support for NATO as the essential forum for trans-Atlantic security."

Accompanying Blinken will be Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin for discussions with allies and partners, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Monday.

"The Secretary will take this opportunity to reaffirm the US commitment to the Transatlantic alliance as a critical partnership for achieving our mutual goals.

"Separately, Secretary Blinken will hold bilateral and multilateral meetings with European counterparts to discuss key priorities and shared challenges," Xinhua news agency quoted Price as saying in the statement.

The trip came amid escalating tensions in eastern Ukraine and Russia's military build-up along the border.

It also came ahead of the May 1 deadline set by the US-Taliban deal for a full withdrawal of American and coalition troops from Afghanistan.

President Joe Biden said last month that it would be hard for the United States to meet the deadline.