Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs

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The Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, headed by Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried, implements U.S. foreign policy in Europe and Eurasia. The Bureau promotes U.S. interests in the region on issues such as national security, NATO enlargement, coordination with the European Union and other regional organizations, support for democracy, human rights, civil society, economic prosperity, the war on terrorism, and nonproliferation.

Afghanistan and NATO: Why They Both Matter 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Volker (Feb. 4): "Without the security and stability provided by NATO forces, reconstruction, rule of law and effective governance would be impossible. There can be no development without security, and no security without development."  Full Text | More on NATO and Afghanistan

Missile Defense
Assistant Secretary Fried (Jan. 17): "We believe, the United States believes, that this program [the anti-missile defense shield] will benefit Europe, including Poland, as well as the United States. The United States can defend itself without these installations. But we believe that the security of NATO should be indivisible. And therefore we want to defend all of Europe from potential threats that may arise in the course of the next 10 and 20 years." Full Text | More on Missile Defense 

Remarks at NATO Headquarters
Secretary Rice (Dec. 7): "...we had a discussion of Kosovo and affirmed our unity on the continued relevance of Resolution 1244, of our intention to keep KFOR [Kosovo Force] in place with no reduction of troop levels, no additional caveats and to allow our military commanders to do the necessary contingency planning for the alliance. We are committed to a stable and peaceful Balkans. That was an early commitment of NATO and it remains a commitment of NATO." Full Text | Video | Secretary Rice's Travel to Belgium | More on NATO and Kosovo

Preventing Violent Radicalism in Europe
Senior Advisor Pandith (Nov. 8): "Some Muslims in Europe feel alienated for a variety of reasons. But first let's recognize that we must always say “some” because alienation is by no means the state of all European Muslims. Many have successfully integrated and become productive members of society who engage in the pursuit of happiness. And the majority of European Muslims are peace-loving people who do not engage in or condone terrorist activity. It is, however, to those who haven't found their niche in the different countries of Europe that we turn our thoughts today. Although there are many Muslims successfully integrated in Europe, there remains a lot to do in this process." Full Text | Interview | More on Muslim Engagement

Developing Europe's East
Assistant Secretary Fried (Nov. 1): "A Euro-Atlantic identity is based on shared values and shared institutions as much as on geography. Georgia's mind is focused on those issues and has been especially since the Rose Revolution that brought a new wave of freedom to Georgia." Full Text | Questions and Answers | More on Georgia

What Is the U.S. Doing To Improve Its Image Abroad?
Deputy Assistant Secretary Graffy (Nov. 1): "The advantage of public diplomacy is that you are not reaching out to just one or another person at the end of a telephone line, but to potentially millions of people. There may have been a time, not so long ago, when it was true that communications from diplomat to diplomat, elite to elite, were sufficient. But those times are over." Full Text | More on Public Diplomacy Efforts in Europe

Policy Podcast: U.S.- NATO Relations
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Volker (Oct. 26): "Because as I look at Europe, it's not about what is going on in Europe that we need to fix. Europe is in pretty good shape. The democratic market economy is secure, stable. In fact, Europe is a contributor to a lot of the issues that we need to work on in the world, so my job is to work together with Europe on a global agenda. And so it's working with that strategic part of Europe." Full Text | Video | More on NATO

Strategic Agenda Between the United States and Russia
Secretary Rice (Oct. 12): "Let me begin where Sergey left off. We have agreed that this mechanism is a useful one. We also believe that we would benefit from putting together all of the various issues of a strategic policy that the United States and Russia face. We are going to work therefore on a strategic framework for the 2+2 to review and to hopefully finalize when we invite our Russian colleagues to Washington in the next six months or so." Full Text | Video | Secretary Rice's Travel to Russia 

Transatlantic Priorities: The Short List
Assistant Secretary Fried (Apr. 18): "... U.S. policy on Europe today is about what we can do together with Europe in the rest of the world. The United States and Europe form one transatlantic community of values. We are not one unit, but Europe and the United States constitute together the world's two great centers of power, democracy, and thus responsibility." Full Text | More on Kosovo Final Status, NATO Operations, Russia