U.S. Vice President Mike Pence carried a message of unity and collaboration with Europe on Monday in his address to the European Council in Brussels, not only on issues of “peace and prosperity” — but also on the effort to “counter the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.”
Pence was in Europe over the weekend for the Munich Security Conference, and traveled afterwards to Brussels to address the leadership of the European Union.
Speaking, as he said, on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump, Pence said, “We seek to take measures. And we call upon the European community to join with the United States in continuing to intensify our efforts to counter the threat of radical Islamic terrorism here in the continent . Now, this will require greater coordination and intelligence sharing among EU member states and between the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). And let me assure you, the United States is committed to continuing – and expanding – our collaboration on the collective security of all of our peoples.”
Pence told those gathered it was “heartbreaking” to reflect that nearly a year ago, in the heart of the European Union, “three horrific suicide bombings and attacks took place,” killing 33 innocent victims — including four Americans, he quietly pointed out — and injuring hundreds more.
“Let me say to this community, the European Community,” Pence said, “Your losses at the hands of barbaric terrorists are felt equally in every household, in every heart, in America. And you have our condolences and our determination to continue to do all that we can in partnership with the European Union and with all of our allies in Europe to ensure that such attacks never happen again.”