THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION
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NATO-EU cooperation has reached unprecedented levels (Ed/hb, Paris) On 4th December 2020, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană held a key note speech at the European Defence Agency’s annual conference in Brussels. The key points of his speech
speak, super-advanced missile systems
(excerpts):
that are posing a threat to us, to all of us,
Shared Values: “We should never forget
and mainly to the European territory, and
that what really bonds our two organ-
that is something that we have to work
isation are our common values. And I
together because this is not something
think this is another incentive to further
that we should try take lightly.”
strengthen our strategic partnership between NATO and the EU.
Shifting the balance: “It is not only bur-
(…) in recent years, NATO-EU cooperation
den-sharing (...), it is also about the quality
has reached unprecedented levels. We are
of the investment in our defence. We are
working together on so many issues, from
still very vulnerable, and the way in which
improving military mobility, countering
international security is developing is put-
hybrid and cyber threats, and countering
ting our societies, our national interests
disinformation together, we have done this
and our organisations under tremendous
during the pandemic very successfully, to
stress. And this is where we have to do
coordinating our exercises or improving
much more together. It is also shifting
our strategic communications. (…)
photo: © NATO
the balance.”
With the pandemic, that we are still in the eye of the storm, we have seen our cooperation accelerate.” Cyber: “Cyber is one of the examples that the EU has developed tremendous instruments and a specific toolbox. NATO is also very advanced in cyber. We have declared five years ago, at the Warsaw
“(...) we have to think how we can really inject a new generation of fresh ideas in what to do together.
”
NATO summit, that cyber is an operational domain. (…) This is where we are and we
Strategic partnership: “90% of the population of the EU is also population of NATO. So we are, in a way, obliged to work together. And if there is evolution like NATO 2030, the potential revisiting of our Strategic Concept in the next period of time, and as EU, naturally and positively is looking through his strategic compass and his vision about the future, I think we have
should work even closer together.”
to make sure that we work together and Strategic cooperation: “Recently NATO
we keep the synergies in place.
Emerging and disruptive technologies:
has established in Ramstein, Germany,
I am a great proponent of the strategic
“I think we can do, and should do, more
a Space Subcommand for military opera-
partnership between NATO and the EU. I
when it comes to new technologies and
tions, and we are establishing in Toulouse,
think that if there will be high level meet-
the way in which these are affecting not
France, a Space Centre of Excellence,
ings next year we have to think how we
only defence and security, but also the
while the EU has a Space Agency. So I
can really inject a new generation of fresh
way of life. Because the definition of se-
think we can do things together.”
ideas in what to do together. Because as
curity is becoming far more multifaceted.
we enter in this very turbulent period of
The line between traditional threats and
China as a global player: “We must not fool
human history we need each other more
non-traditional threats is becoming more
ourselves, China is becoming a dominant
than ever, we need to do more, we need
blurred” (…)
global player. And we have to coordinate
to do better. And we have to make sure
Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Comput-
the way in which our two organisations
we keep the integrity of our values and
ing, Biotechnology, are all topics that are
are looking into China.”
our interests intact in a period which is
in turbulent transformation and that are
complicated.”
impacting on our security. We have to
Russian missile systems: “(...) they have
work and do things together (...)”.
developed, and are developing as we web: Full Speech: https://bit.ly/37m8346
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