NATO, EU Pledge Closer Co-operation

This statement, which was signed Tuesday at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, targets “lifting to a higher level of” of the reports of these two institutions.

The statement was signed by European Council President Charles Michel, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyeen.

Stoltenberg said the third declaration of NATO and the EU for strategic co-operation is more important than ever before, given the challenges facing Western military alliances, separately after the launch of Ukraine's Russian occupation.

Chief NATO called on to preserve the unity of the free democratic world in the face of Moscow's threats.

“President [of Russia, Vladimir] Putin wanted to invade Ukraine for a few days and separate us. Both failed”, Stoltenberg said.

“We must continue to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and European security”, he added.

Aside from Russia, the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 Stoltenberg also cited China as a challenge to NATO and the EU's common security.

The declaration for strategic co-operation confirms NATO's key role as a pillar of Euro-Atlantic collective security, but also the need for strengthening the European Union's defence capacities. This document also requires more co-operation between the two institutions to face new challenges, cyber attacks, information manipulations, terrorism and natural disasters.

Meanwhile, European Council President Charles Michel said that NATO and the EU have grown in parallel and have met each other throughout history.

Currently, out of the 27-member states of the European bloc, 21 are NATO members. This number is expected to arrive at 23 after Finland and Sweden enter the alliance.

“Putin less wanted NATO, but it did not. We now have more NATO and more EU. We are also accelerating the enlargement process towards Western Balkan countries”, Michel said, warning more investments in defence and continuing support for Ukraine.

Shortly after the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO. Currently, Turkey is keeping blocking the membership process, demanding meeting certain conditions before ratification of the membership application of these two Nordic states. Even Hungary has not yet ratified the accession of these two states to NATO.

But, with Finland and Sweden's entry into the alliance, under NATO protection there will be 96 per cent of EU citizens, Michel said. He added that NATO will also support the security of the bloc's states that are not members of the alliance.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyeen said common challenges and threats do not come only from Russia.

Russia's “threat is the closest, but not the only threat to our alliance. We must also have resistance to China's intentions aimed at questioning our security and stability”, she said.

Von der Leyen added that in the future, the EU and NATO will engage in fighting external interventions and information manipulations.

She warned that aid will continue for Ukraine and stressed that the bloc will impose new sanctions on Russia, but also on Belarus's ally Putin for its role in the fight against Ukraine.

The EC president said that weapons production should be increased in the bloc's countries, and that according to it should be done in co-operation with NATO. Stoltenberg, who said that it is necessary to produce weapons and ammunition because supplies with them have been reduced because of military aid to Ukraine.

Leaders of the two institutions also demanded that Sweden and Finland become NATO members as soon as possible.

Stoltenberg said confident that Turkey and Hungary will ratify the membership of two Nordic states in the military alliance.