Kerry visits Paris after terrorist attacks

Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris on Monday, becoming the first senior U.S. official to visit France since the terrorist attacks there Friday.

Kerry will meet with French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday morning, according to a schedule released by the French government.

“He will reiterate America’s commitment to our strong relationship with France and express our condolences as well as our shared resolve to continue countering violent extremism here and around the world,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

The visit by Kerry, who was abroad for Syrian peace talks in Vienna and the G20 Summit in Turkey, had not been announced prior to his landing because of security concerns.

In addition to meeting with Hollande, Kerry will visit staff and family members at the American embassy, according to the statement.

Kerry’s visit follows President Obama’s speech earlier Monday when he resisted calls to rethink the strategy against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Following the Paris attacks, the Obama administration has come under increasing pressure to send ground troops to Syria, which Obama said would be a “mistake.”