On Friday, 23 April, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, attended the Political Workshop for the EU Strategic Compass, following an invitation by his Portuguese counterpart, Mr. João Gomes Cravinho.

The workshop took place in Lisbon, within the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU. Its objective was to develop political discussion with proposals and directions for the preparation of the final text of the Strategic Compass, reflecting the security threats and challenges faced by the EU.

Based on these, a cohesive approach in the areas of Defence and Security will be drawn, based on the following four pillars:

• Crisis Management

• Resilience

• Capabilities and

• Partnerships

In his address, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, stressed, among others, that the Strategic Compass must set clear goals and provide suitable political directions in order to enhance the role of the EU and recognise its role as a reliable provider of Security and Stability.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos stressed the importance of the protection of the EU, its member states, and its citizens against external threats. He also stressed that each member state faces different threats and challenges, including in certain cases challenges against their territorial integrity and sovereignty, and that dealing with those threats must be the top priority for the EU, within the framework of the principles of reciprocity and solidarity.

In the margins of the Ministerial meeting, the Minister of National Defence had a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart, Ms. Florence Parly, with whom he discussed matters related to the enhancement of bilateral cooperation, security developments in the broader region, and armaments. Mr. Panagiotopoulos also met with the Dutch Minister of Defence, Ms. Ank Bijleveld.