Statement to the Press: Alexander Vershbow’s Visit to Moscow

January 22, 2011

The Enhanced Missile Defense Sub-Working Group, established as part of the U.S.-Russia Defense Relations Working Group (of the Bilateral Presidential Commission) by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Russian Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov last September, met on Friday, January 21, in Moscow. The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Ambassador Alexander Vershbow.

The delegations discussed future U.S. and NATO cooperation with Russia on missile defense, consistent with the joint commitment of President Barack Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev to pursue such cooperation. The working group exchanged ideas on potential cooperation, including information on their respective systems, and the role a joint analysis could play in determining the objectives and parameters of cooperative European missile defense.