On Monday (20 January 2025), Secretary General, Mark Rutte welcomed the new European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, to NATO Headquarters for a meeting with Allies in the North Atlantic Council.
The Secretary General said such exchanges were important to foster transparency and political dialogue between NATO and the European Union, noting that they allow EU leaders to hear directly from non-EU Allies. He highlighted that ramping up defence production, to deliver not just on commitments to Ukraine but also for our own deterrence and defence, is more relevant than ever.
Mr Rutte welcomed EU efforts to increase European defence readiness and enhance the defence industrial base, recognising that our transatlantic defence industry is deeply intertwined and there is a unique opportunity to set the direction of our cooperation. He said he hoped that today's meeting was the first of many exchanges with Commissioner Kubilius and his colleagues.
