The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos participated, on Thursday 16 June 2022, in NATO Defence Ministers Meeting, held in Brussels.
During the discussion of the adaptation of NATO deterrence and defence posture, the Minister expressed the need to reinforce the Alliance’s eastern flank, given the developments in Ukraine.
He stressed the importance of reinforcing defence and deterrence in a 360-degree approach, underlined Greece’s multifaceted contribution to NATO and pointed out the strategic value of the Port of Alexandroupoli for the forces that reinforce the Alliance’s eastern flank, and as an entry point of safe and unimpeded energy supply for Greece and NATO member-states in the region.
Mr. Panagiotopoulos also referred to the contribution of NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Centre of Excellence (IAMD CoE) to the reinforcement of the effectiveness of NATO integrated air and missile defence system.
Regarding the burden-sharing, the common funding and the implementation of commitments, the Minister of National Defence stated that Greece, having maintained its defence spending above the threshold of 2% of the GDP, and its investments in main defence armament above 20%, actively participates NATO operations and missions and it fulfils its obligations completely.
He also underscored that the new geopolitical and geo-economic circumstances, due to the sanctions imposed on Russia, which our country applies, make the careful management of the Alliance’s resources necessary in order to avoid an additional economic burden for the member-states.
At the sidelines of the meeting’s sessions, Mr. Panagiotopoulos had meetings with the Defence Ministers of Germany Ms. Christine Lambrecht, France Mr. Sebastien Lécornu, Italy Mr. Lorenzo Guerini, Bulgaria Mr. Dragomir Zakov and Montenegro Mr. Rasko Konjevic, in which they discussed the developments in Ukraine, the security situation in Eastern Mediterranean and the further reinforcement of the bilateral defence cooperation.
He also had a short conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mr. Hulusi Akar, in which it was underlined that it is important to maintain open channels of communication in the spirit of good neighbourly relations and to focus on a positive agenda which will contribute to building a better atmosphere in the bilateral and regional cooperation too.
The Minister of National Defence stressed, in this context, the importance of reducing tensions.
