US, Australia meet for defense talks in DC

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin welcomed Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Marles to the Pentagon for talks on Monday.

The talks come just in advance of three-way discussions between Australia, the U.S. and Great Britain over defense issues and the Indo-Pacific.

Austin said as the two sides sat down that they planned to discuss bilateral cooperation on "posture capabilities" and "defense industrial ties." Marles said that every step of the way forward is not necessarily obvious. While Marles is in the United States, he and Austin will also participate in a meeting of AUKUS that will include UK defense Chief Ben Wallace.