The meeting focused on deepening political cooperation and reflection on security and defence related-affairs while simultaneously providing an opportunity for informal exchanges between the EU Ministers. The agenda and topics were determined in close collaboration between the European External Action Service and the presidency.
During the meeting, the ministers listened to a video message from the Ukranian Minister of Defence (Mr. Umerov) on the situation in the field. Then EU Ministers of Defence discussed the way ahead for EU’s support to Ukraine in the context of the War of Agression imposed by Russia. Thereafter, the EU Ministers had exchanges of views on the Defence readiness i.e. the further operationalisation of the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity as well as on the strenghtening of the European defence technological and industrial base and the upcoming European Defence Industry Strategy.
In the presence of the NATO Assistant Secretary General (Mr Van Weel), the UN Under-Secretary General (Mr. Lacroix) and the Chair of the European Parliamant’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence (Mrs Loiseau), EU Ministers of Defence gave their perspectives on the operational challenges in the Sahel Region and ongoing developments in the Red Sea.
The objective of the meeting was to exchange ideas, provide national points of view, and seek consent on current security issues, progresses, and challenges faced in the field of EU Common Security and Defence Policy.
