US National Security Advisor calls on President to discuss COVID-19 response

• Offers ventilators to Sri Lanka on behalf of President Trump

The National Security Advisor of the United States Robert O’Brien spoke to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday and discussed US and Sri Lankan COVID-19 responses.

O’Brien had conveyed an offer by US President Donald Trump to provide ventilators for COVID-19 patient treatment to Sri Lanka, reaffirming the long history of US-Sri Lankan friendship and cooperation, the US National Security Council said on Twitter.

“NSA Robert O’Brien spoke with Sri Lankan President @GotabayaR yesterday and reaffirmed the long history of US-Sri Lankan friendship and cooperation. They discussed the US and Sri Lankan #COVID-19 response efforts… NSA O’Brien also conveyed President Trump’s offer, on behalf of the American people, to provide needed ventilators to Sri Lanka. The strong bilateral relationship between the US and Sri Lanka is an important part of a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the NSA tweeted on Friday.

The offer comes days after the US Embassy in Sri Lanka announced a commitment of $ 4.5 million to help Sri Lanka in its fight against COVID-19.