Blanar: We Must Take on Greater Responsibility in NATO for Security in Europe

Helsingborg, 22 May (TASR) - European countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) must take on greater responsibility for Europe's security, and we must work together to strengthen the defence industry, stated Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Friday following a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden. The Slovak minister praised the remarks made by US Secretary of State Mark Rubio in Sweden, stating that the USA wants to be strong within NATO but needs an equally strong Europe by its side. Blanar considers this to be a very important message, especially in light of recent statements by US President Donald Trump regarding a possible reduction in the number of US troops in Europe. "Even President Trump announced at the last minute yesterday [21 May] that there will be no reduction in Poland, which I believe is a positive signal and something that we need to build on," said Blanar, adding that when it comes to strengthening defence and the defence industry, NATO members must cooperate with one another and take advantage of opportunities to support the arms industry, which come, for example, from the European Union level. The NATO foreign ministers in Sweden also discussed defence spending, and according to Blanar, they agreed that member countries are willing to implement the conclusions on increasing defence spending that were adopted in The Hague. "The Slovak Republic is already meeting the 2-percent defence spending target. And what's important is that we're also meeting the 35-percent share of that 2 percent that goes directly towards modernising the military," said Blanar. Slovakia's chief diplomat considers the stability of the Western Balkan countries to be very important, and Slovakia supports them in their integration into the European Union. He noted that NATO and KFOR forces, in which Slovak troops form part, play an important role in maintaining security in the region. "If necessary, we're also prepared to increase our contribution to our unit, which is part of the mission, because the security of the Western Balkans and the countries of the Western Balkans is very important for the future stability and security of all of Europe," stated Blanar. The meeting of Alliance ministers in Helsingborg took place as part of preparations for the upcoming official NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey in July. The ministers discussed strengthening defence, the development of the defence industry, the situation in Ukraine and current security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area. am/df