On the first day of the Meeting of the NATO Defence Ministers held in Brussels on Wednesday, February 14th, the discussions focused on nuclear deterrence, fair sharing of responsibilities among the allies, on the adaptation of NATO command structure and modernization of the Alliance in general, as well as on the cooperation between NATO and the EU.

One of the main topics on the agenda of the working sessions was the sharing of responsibilities within NATO (burden sharing), in terms of defence spending, capabilities and contributions to operations and missions under the aegis of the Alliance. The discussions were based on the NATO Secretary General's assessment, the Alliance's strategic annual reports related to the implementation of commitments made in the Alliance, in particular those related to the increase of defence expenditure, the Defence Investment Pledge (DIP) of 2014. The results of the discussions will help shape the framework for approaching this subject at the Brussels Summit in July 2018.

A separate session was dedicated to the North Atlantic Council, namely the efforts to modernize the Alliance against the background of the current security environment characterized by unpredictable and changing challenges. Thus, the central topic was the reform of the NATO Command Structure, according to the pattern agreed upon by the allied defence ministers in November 2017, in order to adapt the Alliance to the new security environment. The defence ministers also focused on the institutional adaptation topic, a line of action provided in the Warsaw Summit final communique, along with the political and military adaptation. In this context, the allied defence ministers discussed about a better prioritization of the current Allied programs and resources.

During the working dinner, an event attended by the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the representatives of Finland and Sweden respectively, the participants discussed topics related to European security, the design of stability in the neighboring areas, as well as the European initiatives on NATO and EU defence and cooperation. On this occasion, the Romanian official expressed his appreciations for the progress made in developing the cooperation between the two organizations, highlighting the need for a realistic and pragmatic approach for the full implementation of the previously agreed measures and to develop the strategic partnership between NATO and EU.

The Press Office