The EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting in the Defence Ministers’ format

 

Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, participated, on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024, in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) Meeting in the defence ministers’ format, held in Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.

The meeting agenda included debates on essential topics such as the European Union's support for Ukraine, the current affairs of the EU in the field of Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as a session dedicated to the EU's level of preparedness in this strategic sector.

During the talks on the future support provided by the European Union to Ukraine, attended by NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, Minister Angel Tîlvăr emphasized Romania's significant contributions and highlighted the need for a more effective collective approach: "Given the period of uncertainty that we are going through at global level, we must continue to stay united and ensure the sustainability of the support offered to our Ukrainian partner", the Romanian official stated.

At the same time, the progresses made by the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) and through the use of the European Peace Facility were discussed. The minister emphasized the importance of close coordination between the EU and NATO to consolidate joint efforts.

In the session dedicated to the current affairs, the defence ministers were briefed on the progress made in rendering the EU Rapid Deployment Capability (EU RDC) operational, a key element of the European defense initiatives launched through the Strategic Compass.

Also, the officials analyzed the steps made in the implementation of the commitments undertaken within the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) aimed at strengthening the convergence of the member states' efforts in the field of defence.

During the working lunch, the debates focused on increasing the crisis response capacity and the EU’s level of defence preparedness.

Minister Angel Tîlvăr welcomed the publication of the Niinistö report and highlighted Romania's firm commitment to support the identified priority directions. "Romania will be fully involved in strengthening the EU's effective support for the defence sector and increasing the level of society's preparedness in facing the challenges of the security environment."

The participation of the Romanian Minister of Defence in the FAC Meeting reflects Romania's commitment to actively contribute to the consolidation of the EU's role in the field of security and defence.

***  

The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) has the role of implementing the EU's foreign and security policy, based on the guidelines issued by the European Council. The FAC meets every six months in the defence ministers’ format to debate current issues within the scope of the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy.

The Press Office