I am confident that your rich and deep experience and long service here has equipped you better than anyone who could possibly be nominated.

There is a greater potential for defense and counterterrorism cooperation, trade and economic development.

We cannot allow for countries like the Czech Republic to come in with only 1 percent of their GDP.

The Communist Party did oppose the association agreement, so it seems that for the time being they have cast their lot against European integration.

Unless we are able to help them develop the institutions of governance that give their people a sense that they can advance their interests through the democratic process, it is not going to work.

Switzerland will benefit from this agreement. Other countries on the edges of the EU will no doubt benefit.

Macedonia has contributed significantly to NATO operations in Afghanistan, and they too deserve an opportunity to join the alliance.

I specifically--working with Senator Rubio--looked at what was happening in Venezuela and said to ourselves: This is amazing; here in the Western Hemisphere you have a country that is violating its citizens' human rights simply protesting…

Many of the questions would be the same: the frozen conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the name issue in Macedonia, the status of Montenegro's NATO accession.

When you go to these parts of the world and say, 'Well, you care about human rights, and you care about democracy, and you care about freedom unless it is some country that is critically important to you in some way.'

I think we should continue to stand by our allies.

We were rebuffed by the administration in pursuing sanctions against the Maduro regime.