NATO and the EU have signed a joint declaration, by which they undertake to provide Ukraine with military means of defence
NATO and the European Union have adopted in Brussels a Joint Declaration, the third after those of 2016 and 2018. The document signed by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg supposes the strengthening of forces to help Ukraine resist the war with Russia.
The joint statement of the EU - NATO derives from the environment of instability that also affects the member countries of the EU and the North Atlantic Alliance and is intended to strengthen the ability to deter threats of any type - experts from Chisinau believe.
Cooperation between NATO and the European Union "is more important than ever", said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, after the signing of the joint statement. According to him, this partnership will help to further strengthen support for Ukraine.
"We signed the third NATO-EU joint statement to develop the strategic partnership between the two organisations. It's the most important yet. Almost a year ago, after Russia invaded Ukraine, on February 24th, the three of us met here at NATO Headquarters. President Putin wanted to occupy Ukraine in a few days and divide us. He failed in both cases," Stoltenberg said.
The European Union and NATO have demonstrated their unity over many years, said European Council President Charles Michel.
For her part, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, declared that the NATO-EU partnership had been consolidated since the first days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"People's eyes looked last year to the frontline in Eastern Ukraine, but also to us, here in Brussels, analysing our preparation and our reactions, and they saw how united we were and are, together supporting the Ukrainian people, but also against Russian imperialism,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
The declaration signed by NATO and the EU, although it is considered by the international press to be a political one, nevertheless includes concrete areas on which the cooperation between these organisations will focus, implicitly the military, security and defence - the director of the Doctoral School "Military and national security sciences" at the "Alexandru cel Bun" Military Academy of the Armed Forces, Marin Butuc, told Radio Moldova.
"First of all, it targets hybrid threats, a reality that also affects the Republic of Moldova. It aims to combat cyber threats. At the same time, this declaration also proposes cooperation in the operational plan at maritime level. It also depends on defence planning in the new context of insecurity caused by the Russian Federation. Carrying out, of course, parallel and coordinated exercises, supporting the defence capabilities of partner countries, and here, of course, the Republic of Moldova can also found itself in this regard," said Marin Butuc.
At the same time, the EU and NATO have committed to providing the Ukrainians with all the military means necessary to defend their homeland, and next week discussions are scheduled on the type of weapons that can be provided - Jens Stoltenberg said after signing the joint statement.
The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, who welcomed the signing of the third joint declaration between NATO and the European Union, declared also that his country “strongly supports the strengthening of security" in the Euro-Atlantic area.
