Joint Statement on the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and the Czech Republic

Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lipavský, on behalf of the Governments of the United States and the Czech Republic, released the following joint statement.

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The Governments of the United States and the Czech Republic renewed the U.S.-Czech Strategic Dialogue in Washington on May 2, 2023.  The Strategic Dialogue demonstrates the strength of our bilateral relationship based on common values and our unwavering commitment to uphold the rules-based international order and to promote democracy, civil society, and human rights, as partners and Allies, fostering our security and economic prosperity.

The 11th round of the Strategic Dialogue was launched following the meeting of Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.  The discussion was opened by the Foreign Minister and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland.

The Strategic Dialogue focused on reaffirming our strong and expanding bilateral cooperation on a broad range of topics.  The Czech Republic and the United States stand resolutely with Ukraine and its people.  In concert with our partners, we are supporting efforts by Ukraine and its people to defend itself and its democracy against Russia’s brutal war of aggression.  We also discussed our work with partners and Allies to help Ukraine maintain economic and financial stability and   support its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Together with democratic allies and partners, we must stand united against authoritarian regimes’ attempts to re-define international rules.  Russia must be held accountable for its actions in Ukraine.  We will work together also to limit Russia´s malign activities around the world.  The Czech Republic and the United States call on Russia to cease its military offensive and completely withdraw its forces from the territory of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, and to respect internationally recognized borders.

The unity and solidarity of NATO is of vital importance.  We support strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence posture, particularly on the Alliance’s Eastern Flank.  We welcome Finland’s membership in NATO and fully support swift membership for Sweden.  We stand behind NATO’s open door policy.  We look forward to this year’s Vilnius Summit.  We will ensure NATO serves as the unique, essential, and indispensable transatlantic forum to consult, coordinate, and act on all matters related to our collective security.  We appreciate deepening practical synergies and strategic unity between the EU and NATO.

On sanctions, the Czech Republic and the United States underscored our continuing coordination to promote accountability and use financial sanctions and export controls to limit Russia’s ability to continue its brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.  We discussed working with our Allies and partners to hold the Russian Federation and the Lukashenka regime in Belarus accountable for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the Lukashenka regime’s complicity in it.

On energy security, the Czech Republic and the United States discussed diversification from Russian energy sources, limiting Russian income from oil sales, and opportunities to accelerate renewable investment and development while also fostering cooperation on nuclear energy.  Making bold investments to build clean energy economies and industrial bases is critical for achieving shared climate goals.

On the Indo-Pacific region, the Czech Republic and the United States discussed the current situation and the challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China to the rules-based international order and to our shared interests, security, and values.  In the face of those challenges, we are working with our partners in and beyond the region to realize our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that is more connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient.  We also affirmed our commitment to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to deepen support and cooperation with democratic partners in the region, including Taiwan.  We reaffirm that transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security is indivisible.

On trade and investment, the Czech Republic and the United States reconfirmed our commitment to building collective, long-term, resilient supply chains based on international partnerships that are transparent, diverse, secure, and sustainable.  We intend to consult on approaches to ensuring economic security, with the aim to increase strategic resilience against coercive pressures.

On cybersecurity and digital policy, the Czech Republic and the United States discussed further steps to ensure that digital technologies strengthen democracy and respect for human rights.  We intend to increase capacity building in third countries to counter cyber threats, including from authoritarian state actors.  We reiterated our commitment to fair and open digital trade and the need to oppose digital protectionism.  We intend to continue our cooperation on ICT supply chain security and security of next-generation networks, including by promoting the Prague Proposals.  We recognize ransomware as a serious and growing threat and are committed to continue cooperation in the framework of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative.

We reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC).  The TTC will continue to play a key role in facilitating transatlantic trade and aligning transatlantic policy on critical emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, which offer tremendous potential benefits to humanity but also create new risks to be mitigated.

In conjunction with the Strategic Dialogue, the Czech Republic and the United States issued a joint statement on media freedom.  Media freedom and a vibrant independent press is a cornerstone for any healthy democracy.  The United States and the Czech Republic are proud to work to rally a broad coalition of friends, partners, and allies around the world to advance media freedom.

The Czech Republic and the United States expressed a strong interest in continuing to deepen our strategic partnership.  We intend to implement concrete activities in areas discussed before the next Strategic Dialogue, to be hosted in Prague in 2024.