Good morning i am jane harmon. President and ceo of the Wilson Center. Happy to be speaking to a packed crowd and to welcome secretary Rex Tillerson back to the Wilson Center. As you know mr. Secretary, the Wilson Center has a tradition of honoring business and political leaders who follow our 20th president s victim, that would be woodrow wilson. To quote enable the world, live with greater vision, a finer spirit of hope and achievement. The Center Honors you in 2010. And you wanted us by attending our event in dallas in 2014 where richard fisher, outgoing chairman of the received our Public Service award. You and i said together. We are delighted to welcome you back this morning to talk about the future of us relations with europe and to take some questions from me and some of you in the audience. Since we only have 50 minutes of your time, those here today submitted questions on arrival and we elected a few at random which i will put to secretary. Your predecessors and most recently, john kerry, have adjusters on prior occasions. But the times in which they served became seemed less careless than currently. Many governments in the middle east are struggling for stability. With terror groups like isis and horrific violence against civilians. Mostly muslims continue and there is clear evidence of russia meddling in democratic elections in the us and europe, just to name a few of the issues. It is clear that all answers do not work. Thats why many here applaud the fact that you have an unusual resume for a secretary of state. Educated as an engineer, your journey over four decades to become ceo of the worlds six and most im sorry the six most valuable companies nothing less than astonishing. But hey, you were an eagle scout when that later headed the boy scouts. Before joining the Trump Administration, he traveled widely. Met regularly with Global Leaders and displayed curiosity about the world. Which is of course, why you received our award. As you know, conducting Foreign Policy is hard. Requiring an understanding of nuance and linkages among issues. As well as focus and the ability to earn the trust and respect of those with whom you interact. You should know that for the past five years the Wilson Centers worldclass scholars and Program Directors have helped over 500 Congressional Staff on a bipartisan basis. Analyze the toughest challenges from a risen tenant to train its russia to asad syria and medeiros venezuela. We have bipartisan Foreign Policy as you build knowledge and relationships across the aisle. And just maybe, some of our alums from the program will run for congress themselves or work for you in the state department. Let me recognize a few of our guests and then turn it to you. Starting with thanks to the International TradeCenter Management association for hosting this event. Thank you reagan building. 900 people wanted to fit into this 600 person auditorium. So i apologize to those who came a bit late and could not get accommodated. Some of the white house appointed trustees are here. Including thelma duggan, barry johnson, Earl Stafford and natlie reyes. In our 11 former german ambassador joe guild and horn and his amazing wife, or still here. Welcome to all of our supporters including councilmembers and ambassadors from belgium, greece, hungary, league of arab states, luxembourg, nepal, nicaragua, slovenia and spain. Welcome to senator ron johnson who has escaped for an hour from the tax wars on capitol hill. And to former senator johnston. By the way, one staffer from senator johnsons office, attended our foreignpolicy program. And finally, let me acknowledge my own relationships and our respect for some of your senior staff including my old capitol hill buddy, margit peter linda chief of staff and your newly minted and highly reviewed assistant secretary for your mitchell. So now, please welcome to the 69th secretary of state, mr. Secretary, the floor is yours. [applause] good morning and thank you for that very kind introduction and also thank you to the Wilson Center for this opportunity to address you today. There was a center has made many important contributions to Public Policy over the years and therefore it is very fitting venue for our discussion today in europe. Considering that 100 years ago and this year the United States entered world war i under the leadership of president wilson. While we tend to associate wilson with spearheading americas first major involvement in European Affairs i think it is worth remembering our commitment to your was earlier championed by predecessor of his, Theodore Roosevelt. When roosevelt died in 1919, just as also striving for peace in europe, european leaders joined the American People and an outpouring of grief and praise. The british Prime Minister remembered him as an inspiring figure far beyond the country shores. Another british politician said he had been the greatest of all americans in a moment of dire stress. But then the centers that have been the apostle of the cause of right on the other side of the atlantic. President roosevelt was in europe because of his vigorous commitment to the confident in the years before and during world war i. While president lawson is best adhered to neutrality policy, roosevelt felt a responsibility to come to europes defense. It was reported he even went as the president for permission to personally lead an Army Division into europe. And he had either Enter British Army officer saying, if we had done what we ought to have done after the sinking of the lusitania, me and my four boys would be in the army getting ready to plan a. What motivated theodore as roosevelt rejection neutrality and a commitment to the defense of europe . We can see the answer and something that roosevelt told the u. S. Congress in 1904. I quote the great free people owes it to itself and to all mankind. Not to sink into helplessness before the powers of evil. Roosevelt knew that the defense of freedom demanded action from three nations. Roosevelt also knew that the United States and europe as we are now are bound by shared principles. Our nations live according to selfevident truths on which western civilization is built. Liberty, equality and human dignity. These foundational principles are protected by the construct of our institutions. Dedicated to the rule of law. Separation of powers and representative government. Our principles are also protected from external threats by our collective determination. Action and sacrifice in the face of security challenges. World war i was the first great test in the 20th century whether the United States would pay the high cost of liberty. Theodore roosevelt never participated in that war. But he did pay the high cost. His son quentin, a fighter pilot, was killed in the skies over france. In past decades our way of life and by extension our core western principles have been tested by the totalitarian threat of naziism, soviet power, communist ideology, ethnic and sectarian and political pressures. Together the is in europe have passed these tests. We know that the nine states in europe are again tested today and we will be tested again. Under President Trump the United States remains committed to the enduring relationship with europe. Our security commitments to european allies are ironclad. If we are to sustain the shared security commitments that ensure stability in the region, the Trump Administration views this as necessary for our allies to be strong, prosperous and committed to the defense of shared western ideals. Over the past 10 months weve embarked on a new strategic policy. That bolsters european and american security. Namely every commitment to europe in the wake of the failed russian twitter. Com booktv effort to redact security institutions to combating emerging threats like terrorism. Cyber attacks and nuclear proliferation. And the expectation that european nations except they are more secure when they contribute more to their own defense. These new policy directions will better position the United States and europe to confront the challenges that threaten our prosperity. The actors that seek this chaos. And is still down in our laws and institutions. In the enemies that turn out security and oppose our way of life. This is a message i will repeat in my meetings with nato and osc leaders and in bilateral meetings and a trip to europe next week. The preservation of our liberty begins with guaranteeing our people can live in safety. To that, the United States places the highest importance on security relationships with european allies. Including nato. Alliances are meaningless if the members are unwilling on able to honor commitments. Earlier this year, the president reaffirmed the United States commitment to article 5 of the nato treaty. Because it is the best mechanism we have to determine aggression. As the text of article 5 ribs, the parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in europe or north america shall be considered as an attack against them all. Any attack by any after on a nato member state will trigger article 5 in the United States will be the first to honor the commitment we have made. We will never forget how nato members came quickly to stand with us after the september 11 attacks. We will do the same for them if they are attacked. While the west continues to seek a productive new relationship with postsoviet russia, thus far, it has proved elusive. As both attempt by the Prior Administration to reset the russia and us relationships have been followed by russia invading his neighbor in 2008. And ukraine in 2014. Russia continues aggressive behavior toward other regional neighbors by interfering in election processes. In promoting nondemocratic ideals. We, together with our friends in europe recognized the active threat of a resurgent russia. That is why the United States has strengthened its deterrence in the defense commitments in europe to the European Deterrence Initiative for edi. Earlier this year, the demonstration requested 4. 8 billion in the budget towards the edi. This increase of 1. 4 billion over the Previous Year will enhance the us military deterrence and defense capabilities and improve the readiness of the forces in europe. The edi facilitates training and exercises with the european allies and partners to better integrate the militaries and provide security for europe. And it will bolster the capacity of our army, navy, air force and marine corps. To deploy assets and support nato joint exercises. In view of russias military exercises conducted near the baltic state in september our ability to respond to an attack in concert with our allies is more important than ever. The edi also includes 150 million to help ukraine build its capacity for defending its territorial integrity. The United States recognizes that the war on ukraine in which people are still dying every day, must come to an end. We have repeatedly urged russia to begin the path to peace by honoring its commitments under the agreements. Any resolution of war that does not have a sovereign and territorial hole ukraine is unacceptable. Russia chose to violate the sovereignty of the largest country in europe. The United States and europe have stood shoulder to shoulder and confronting his aggression with a coordinated sanctions policy. Our transatlantic unity is meant to convey to the russian government that will not stand for this. We hope russia will take steps to restore ukraines full sovereignty and territorial integrity and fully implement its commitments. Allowing us to begin the process of restoring normal relations. Let me be clear. These sanctions will remain in place until russia reverses the actions that trigger them. We are committed to the success and make independent and hold ukraine. However, ukraines future depends also on winning its internal struggle to implement a broad range of economic justice, security and social sector reforms. We encourage ukraine to continue building capable, trustworthy institutions and eventually eliminate corruption. Strengthen their judicial system and deliver Economic Prosperity to their citizens. The ukraine crisis also made clear her Energy Supplies can be wielded as a political weapon. Enhancing European Energy security by ensuring access to affordable, reliable, diverse and secure supplies of energy. Ornamental to National Security objectives. The United States is liberalizing rules governing the export of liquefied natural gas and us produced fruit. We are eager to work with european allies to ensure the development of needed infrastructure import terminals and interconnecting pipelines to promote the diversity of supply to europe. In july, the president announced at the summit that the United States will provide Technical Support for croatias project. The United States will continue to support european infrastructure projects. Such as receiving facilities in poland and interconnected greece bulgaria pipeline to ensure that no country from outside europes energy union can use its resources for its position in the Global Energy market to export extort other nations. The United States recognizes the fragility of the balkans and will continue to work with the eu to bring stability prosperity and democracy to the region. The people of the balkan countries, to them we say, abandon your old animosities. So that peace may become permanent. You have a chance to direct a new course of history. Bloodlines should no longer be battle lines. The United States and the world long to see a new generation of serbs, croatians, albanians, bosnians, and others who will forgive the past. Even if they can never forget it. A testament to americas shared values europe is our cooperation on issues beyond the borders of europe which affect us all. The United States and our european allies have partnered to hold assad accountable for sanctions for crimes against his own people. This is the beginning of the crisis the eu and others have pledged the efforts are continuing as a Global Coalition to defeat isis stabilizes liberated areas. This is the last pockets of isis being defeated, our European Partners must continue to be strong advocates. With a you in the geneva process and Human Security resolution 2254. That alone can be the basis for rebuilding the country and implementing a political solution that leaves no overall for the assad regime or his family in the syrian government. Our European Partners have also been strong supporters of our diplomatic and Economic Pressure Campaign against north korea. In addition to enthusiastically supporting the Un Security Council resolutions, countries have taken unilateral steps to maximize pressure on the regime in pyongyang. Portugal froze all diplomatic relations with the dprk in july. Spain and italy have expelled north korean ambassadors. Has find bands that violated sanctions. Our european allies know that north korea is a threat to all responsible nations and requires a coordinated response. We commend our allies strength increasing pressure in pyongyang to achieve complete permanent and verifiable denuclearization of the north korean peninsula. What we have forged is a critical basis for confronting the threats of today and tomorrow both in europe and outside of europe. The United States and europe face many challenges and threats that unlike in the past, are simultaneously dispersed among geographical lines and multiple domains beer while Cyber Threats or nuclear threats. Because we know that we are stronger and confronting these challenges when we are working together, we will pursue even greater cooperation from the and with the nations of europe. Our best partners. History has shown that when we are united, we succeed in the face and shared challenges. As i remarked earlier, one of these challenges is russia. Europe and the United States seek a normalized relationship with russia. However, russia has shown it seeks to define a new postsoviet global balance of power. One in which russia by virtue of his nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others by force or by partnering with regimes usually disregard for their own citizens as is the case with the continuous use of chemical weapons by assad and his own people. They liberalize russias society create a nutrient opportunity that benefit russians, europeans and americans. But russia has often employed malicious tactics