Washington, DC - Assistant Secretary Rose will serve as the senior State Department representative on the U.S. delegation for events in Romania and Poland, respectively, to mark progress in implementing the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) to missile defense in Europe.

On May 12, the United States and Romania will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Deveselu, Romania, marking the operational certification of the U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense system, a key milestone in European based missile defense. Assistant Secretary Rose will join the U.S. delegation led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

On May 13, the United States and Poland will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for the U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense system to be located in Redzikowo, Poland. Assistant Secretary Rose will again join the U.S. delegation led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work. Construction of the Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Poland is expected to be completed in 2018.

These events follow years of close military cooperation and successful coordination with Romania and Poland, including on legal agreements and site construction. They serve as a reminder of the significant progress in our efforts to contribute to the NATO Alliance’s ability to protect itself from the growing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles from outside the Euro-Atlantic area. They also serve as a demonstration of the U.S. commitment to collective security and Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.