Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides departs for Brest, France, to take part in a meeting of EU Defence Ministers, the first informal ministerial meeting of the French Presidency that will take place on 12 and 13 January.
This milestone event will allow the ministers to share their priorities in the field of security and defence, a Defence Ministry press release says. It adds that several discussions are planned, including a dinner with the NATO Secretary-General and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, a working session on contested strategic areas, in particular in the field of space, and a joint working session of Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers.
At this final stage, it notes, discussions should focus in particular on the “Strategic Compass” project. For the first time, the European Union will develop a White Paper setting out the roadmap for security and defence by 2030. Drawing on joint threat analysis, it will define the actions to be taken in four key areas: crisis management, capacity-building, resilience and partnerships.
The outcome of two years’ work, launched under the German Presidency, this document is to be finalised by March 2022 in order to be endorsed by the Heads of State and Government at the European Council meeting on 24 and 25 March, the press release concludes.
Source: CNA
