MOD wants to revive defence cooperation with the Netherlands by moving forward with specific projects

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď welcomed the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Slovakia, Her Excellency Ms Gabriella Sancisi to the Ministry of Defence today (Monday 21 February 2022). Ambassador Sancisi was joined by the new non-resident Dutch Defence Attaché accredited to Slovakia, Lt Col Siegmund van Iwaarden for talks on Slovak-Dutch defence cooperation and the unfolding security developments on Ukraine's border.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “We have good ties that bind us with the Netherlands and we share a similar approach. Reviving our cooperation in the field of defence and security is, therefore, in our common interest. The best way to do so is to move forward with specific projects, and we have already discussed some proposals today.”

Slovakia has identified several potential areas of cooperation, including posting a member of the Dutch Armed Forces to the Slovak NFIU's structures and intensifying cooperation with the SVK military establishments such as the NATO Explosive Ordnance Disposal Centre of Excellence (EOD COE) Trenčín, which delivers specialist EOD training courses and exercises, and the unique CBRN Defence Training and Testing Centre Zemianske Kostoľany, which offers training with live chemical warfare agents.

In the Minister’s meeting with Ambassador Sancisi and Defence Attaché Lt Col van Iwaarden, they also addressed the current situation on NATO's eastern flank. Minister Naď emphasised the need for de-escalation of tensions through diplomatic efforts. “At the same time, we must be ready for all scenarios and increase our readiness. We are working intensely on this together with our Allies,” he added.