Carter heading to NATO conference

Defense Secretary Ash Carter plans to attend a NATO defense ministerial in Brussels next week, according to a Pentagon announcement.

Carter is scheduled to be in Brussels June 13-15 to discuss areas of mutual interest with his NATO counterparts in advance of the biannual NATO Summit to be held in Warsaw in July.

"The robust agenda for this ministerial will include a discussion of our ongoing and substantial efforts to reassure our allies and partners in the face of Russian aggression, NATO contributions to the counter-ISIL campaign, our efforts to support a secure and stable Afghanistan, as well as the Alliance's common approach to a number of other shared threats," the announcement states.

Carter is scheduled to hold a press conference in Brussels on June 15.