State Secretary M. Majer underlines the importance of allied unity and support at virtual NATO Defence Ministerial

The tasks of NATO and Allied armed forces in bringing the coronavirus pandemic under control, delivery of international commitments, including defence expenditure, and current defence and security challenges in the international environment. These were among the themes discussed by Defence State Secretary Marian Majer who, on behalf of Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď, represented the SVK MOD on the first day of the virtual NATO Defence Ministers Meeting on 22 and 23 October 2020.

Recognising the importance of Allied solidarity in the decision-making processes, Defence State Secretary Marian Majer said: “The North Atlantic Alliance must always be united in addressing important security and defence issues – that is a crucial and necessary pre-requisite for tackling challenges we face together. The strong partnership and mutual solidarity of Allies are among the key factors that can influence our success.”

Defence investment of NATO Member States was a major topic as well. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg presented progress on fair burden sharing, confirming the sixth consecutive year of increased defence spending.

On deterrence and defence, Allied Defence Ministers underscored the importance of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Equally important, they underlined the importance of NATO’s adaptation to all military domains, including space. NATO Member States reiterated that the Alliance does not seek to militarise space. Also in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Allied Defence Ministers paid their attention to traditional and non-traditional threats at all levels – allied, national and societal. At the conclusion of his statement, the Defence State Secretary presented Op Shared Responsibility in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus in Slovakia.

The virtual conference will continue tomorrow. Allied Ministers will talk about NATO operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also discussed will be the 20th anniversary of the United Nations agenda for Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), which offers an opportunity to highlight the role of women in strengthening peace and security in the world.