Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Transatlantic Quint Foreign Ministers

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary Blinken met today with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, French Middle East and North Africa Director Anne Grillo, and German Political Director Günter Sautter. The group discussed the situation in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime and ways to help the Syrian people seize this opportunity to build a better future. They reiterated the need for all groups in Syria to respect human rights, uphold international humanitarian law, ensure Syria does not pose a threat to its neighbors or serve as a base for terrorism, and take all precautions to protect civilians, including members of minority groups. The ministers also exchanged views on the implementation of the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, stressing the urgency of continued support to the Lebanese Armed Forces. They further discussed the need to bring an end to the war in Gaza, return all hostages, and increase humanitarian assistance.