NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska addressed the European Defence Agency (EDA) annual conference "New Horizons in EU Defence" in Brussels on Wednesday (22 January).
She praised the deepening partnership between NATO and the European Union (EU) over recent years and called on even closer cooperation. "At this dangerous time for our security, stepping up our cooperation is essential," she said, underlining that EU defence is of "great importance to NATO, because it is inextricably linked to transatlantic security".
Faced with growing strategic competition and destabilising campaigns against our security and way of life, increasing defence investment and boosting defence production are a priority to ensure countries in Europe stay safe, the Deputy Secretary General said. She welcomed the EU's enhanced efforts to boost European defence industry, acquire much needed capabilities, and enhance resilience.
Moving forward, Ms Shekeinska stressed the importance for NATO and the EU to work hand in hand to avoid the duplication of efforts and to identify more opportunities to leverage each other's unique expertise, tools and resources. She also encouraged the "fullest possible" involvement of non-EU Allies' defence industries, which contribute essential technological know-how and provide urgently needed capabilities.
