Defence Minister Naď departs for NATO Madrid Summit with expectations of breakthrough decisions

Today (Tuesday 28 June 2022), Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď has departed for the NATO Madrid Summit, where the Allied Heads of State and Government are expected to take transformative decisions relating to the Alliance's political and military adaptation to the fundamental changes of the Euro-Atlantic security in the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Leading the SVK Delegation to the NATO Madrid Summit is President and Commander-in-Chief of the Slovak Armed Forces Zuzana Čaputová. Among the delegation members are Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Ivan Korčok and Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to NATO Peter Bátor.

The main public output of the Madrid Summit will be the adoption and launch of NATO's 2022 Strategic Concept. The last Strategic Concept was adopted at the Lisbon Summit in 2010. In defining the Alliance's strategic priorities for the next decade, collective defence will, once again after long years, take centre stage of the new Strategic Concept. The Russian Federation's behaviour on the international stage has resulted in Russia being designated as a direct threat to Allies. Another key decision to be taken by the leaders is the decision to strengthen the Alliance's readiness to defend its members in the form of a reinforced Allied presence along NATO's eastern flank.

As part of the package of decisions, NATO leaders will agree a new assistance package for war-torn Ukraine, support for NATO's vulnerable partners in the Alliance's neighbourhood, funding for maintaining NATO's technological edge, a strengthening of resilience, defence against weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a strengthening of cyber defence and energy security. The summit will also report on the progress made by NATO member countries in reaching the target of spending 2% of national output on defence until 2024.

The outcomes of the summit will reflect the Alliance's Open Door policy. In this respect, Finland and Sweden's application for NATO membership marks an historic milestone. Slovakia welcomes and supports Finland and Sweden's entry into NATO, convinced that both countries meet all membership criteria, while strengthening collective defence and security in Europe.

Separately, the 2022 NATO Madrid Summit Declaration will respond to the current security developments in the world.

As part of his official programme, Jaroslav Naď will hold bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Defence of Germany and Denmark on the margins of the summit.