The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos participated in the EU Foreign Affairs and Defence Council, held in Brussels.

The High Representative Mr. Josep Borrell briefed his members on current matters, examining a series of recent developments in tension points such as the Sahel, Ukraine, Mozambique and the “IRINI” operation zones of responsibility.

The members of the Council exchanged their views on strategic orientation, placing the emphasis on crisis management, while during the informal working lunch the Ministers exchanged their views with NATO Secretary General Mr. Jens Stoltenberg.

In the sidelines of the meeting Mr. Panagiotopoulos had personal meetings with the Minister of Germany Mrs. Annegret Kramp–Karrenbauer, the Minister of Cyprus Mr. Charalambos Petridis and the Minister of Portugal Mr. João Gomes Cravinho.

Before the Council’s session convened the administrative councils of the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the EU Satellite Centre (SatCen).

Following the completion of the EU Defence Ministers session, the Minister of National Defence stated the following:

“Initially, I would to state that today before the Defence Ministers Council I chaired for the first time the European People’s Party Defence Ministers Meeting, held with a view to exchange views on the “Strategic Compass” of the EU.

During the Council’s meeting I highlighted the threats and challenges faced by the EU and the need to map out a cohesive approach in the fields of Defence and Security.

I also had the opportunity to stress the decisive importance of Threat Analysis for the defining shaping and the content of the Strategic Compass.

It is important to forge a common concept on these threats and utilize the Strategic Compass in order to safeguard the interests of the EU and its member states and protect them and their citizens”.