Minister Naď: The current situation in Ukraine confirms the strategic importance of the transatlantic partnership

The discussions of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) in France's Brest were dominated by the current developments and security situation on Europe's eastern border.

Speaking during the meeting, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Ukraine has our unwavering support for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. First and foremost, I want to reaffirm the need for constructive dialogue with Russia, which is the only meaningful option for the de-escalation of the situation. At the same time, I vigorously condemn any use of force to change the border, as it is strictly forbidden by international law. There is no doubt that any military aggression against Ukraine would have massive negative consequences and would come at a severe cost.”

According to Minister Naď, the ongoing situation confirms the strategic importance of unity amongst EU and NATO Member States and that of the transatlantic partnership, as well as presenting an opportunity for enlarging and deepening operational collaboration among EU Member States and between the EU and NATO. “This gives us the space to use the present situation to improve our capabilities and readiness,” the head of the MOD said. He was appreciative of ongoing cooperation and intense international consultations. This topic resonated with defence ministers at the Bucharest 9 (B9) Defence Ministers Meeting, with the participation of the French Defence Minister as France currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The joint meeting of EU Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brest saw an in-depth discussion of the first draft of the Strategic Compass. The document follows on from the working sessions, including from the Slovak proposals, at the Council of the European Union.

The defence ministers also broached the topic of non-state actors' activity in the areas of EU missions and operations. “We have recorded an increase in the influence of such actors and in that of disinformation activities which are carried out via media outlets and social networks. There are efforts to undermine the importance and efficiency of the EU as a partner. Therefore, we are proactively strengthening the resilience of specialist personnel and operational activity in the areas of deployment,” said Minister Naď.