STUTTGART, Germany —
After careful review of the ongoing Defender-Europe 20 exercise activities and in light of the current Coronavirus outbreak, we will modify the exercise by reducing the number of U.S. participants. Activities associated with the exercise will be adjusted accordingly and we'll work closely with Allies and partners to meet our highest priority training objectives.
The health protection of our force, and that of our Allies and partners, is a top concern. We take the Coronavirus outbreak seriously and are confident that by making this important decision we'll continue to do our part to prevent the further spread of the virus, while still maximizing our efforts to advance our alliances and partnerships and enhancing our comprehensive readiness to address any crisis or contingency.
As we work through the arrangements with our Allies and partners, we'll provide additional updates.