Joint Statement by President of the United States Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2019

Joint Statement by President of the United States Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis  This year, the United States and Czech Republic mark the 30-year anniversary of the inspiring and world-changing events of the Velvet Revolution.  The people of Czechoslovakia took back their freedom and ended decades of Communist oppression.  We also commemorate 20 years since the Czech Republic joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As leaders of the United States and Czech Republic, we reaffirm our commitment to shared democratic values, individual liberty, rule of law, and independent institutions.  We share the view that peace, security, and prosperity depend on the cooperation of sovereign nations.  Strength at home is a necessary foundation for peace and security abroad.    We continue to believe that the NATO Alliance guarantees transatlantic and European security.  We reaffirm that our collective security demands each Ally meets its 2 percent commitment to defense investment and to modernize its armed forces.  We strive to continue our security and defense cooperation. We remain firm in supporting Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as continuing sanctions against Russia.  We praise the bravery and sacrifice of United States and Czech troops serving shoulder-to-shoulder in Afghanistan. The United States and Czech Republic affirm that energy security is an inextricable pillar of any country’s national security.  We will work together to explore opportunities arising from the transformation of energy markets while promoting enhanced energy diversification in Europe and ensuring our mutual security.  We will further investigate the potential benefits of regional energy infrastructure development in Central Europe. Our countries will work to ensure secure and reliable telecommunications networks and supply chains to reduce the risk of malicious cyber activity.  We resolve to deepen our cooperation in this area and to work together bilaterally and multilaterally to develop telecommunications security principles. The United States and Czech Republic share a common interest in fair and reciprocal trade and investment.  We are proud of United States–Czech Republic trade and investment relations.  We commit to further strengthening our trading relationship, including by supporting the advanced research, technological cooperation, and manufacturing that will underpin the innovation economy of the future.