Pentagon chief starts European tour, with Russia/Ukraine high on the agenda:
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter is traveling to Europe for a visit that is focused on cooperation between NATO allies in the wake of Russian aggression in Crimea and Ukraine.
Pentagon said a key theme at all of Carter's stops will be how the United States, NATO, and NATO partners can best deal with the Kremlin following Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and its military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Carter is due in Germany on June 22 for talks with the defense ministers of Germany, The Netherlands, and Norway.
Carter plans to travel on June 23 to Estonia's capital, Tallinn, where he is scheduled to meet with the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
All three countries have issued calls for the permanent presence of NATO troops in their territory amid mount fears of Baltic and Eastern European states about Russian military actions.
Carter then plans to visit Belgium to attend a NATO defense ministers meeting, his first since taking over as Pentagon chief in February.
He also plans a one-day visit on June 26 to Germany, where the United States has 65,000 troops stationed. (Reuters, AP, AFP)
This ends our blogging for June 20. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.