Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky will pay a working visit to the United States in early February, where he might meet his new US counterpart Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s new envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, according to reports by Aktualne.cz yesterday.
The Czech government will discuss the minister’s visit to the US next week.
The foreign minister’s visit is expected to take place from 5-8 February. The Foreign Ministry has not yet confirmed whom Lipavsky will meet in the US. However, Aktualne.cz reported that the Czech embassy in Washington has been instructed to try to arrange meetings with the officials Lipavsky wants to meet the most.
“Czech diplomacy has been preparing for both outcomes of the election – including Donald Trump’s victory. Together with the [US] side, I will address transatlantic security, new technologies, cybersecurity and energy. We are in agreement with Trump on fundamental foreign policy challenges,” Lipavsky told the server.
According to the document to be debated by the cabinet: “The primary goal of the trip is to send a signal to the new US administration about the Czech Republic’s readiness to continue developing dynamic bilateral relations with the US in all its areas, immediately after the new administration takes office, and to establish personal contacts between the foreign minister and its members.”
Lipavsky said in recent days that he was looking forward to working with the new head of US diplomacy to strengthen bilateral relations and fight the new “axis of evil”. He said he also expected Rubio to take a firm stance on “authoritarian influences”.
Rubio, who has been described as a hawk in his approach to China, Iran and Cuba, became the first confirmed member of President Trump’s new administration on Monday.
Lipavsky will also attend the Globsec forum in the United States, scheduled to begin on 6 February. “The forum will be a good opportunity to discuss common challenges with leaders from both the Republican and Democratic camps and set the future shape of transatlantic cooperation,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Daniel Drake.
The Czech delegation to accompany Lipavsky to Washington is to consist of eight people, with the names to be decided in the coming days.
