SVK delegation to the NATO Summit in Brussels reaffirms Slovakia’s commitments and support to NATO’s open door policy and closer NATO-EU cooperation
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- Date: 11.07.2018
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At the July 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels, the Slovak delegation, led by President and Commander-in-Chief of the SVK Armed Forces Andrej Kiska, today reaffirmed Slovakia’s commitments to increased defence spending and participation in operations and missions abroad. The delegation expressed its support for NATO’s open door policy and closer cooperation between the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš stated: “After joining NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, we are ready to get involved in a new NATO training – non-combat – mission in Iraq. At the same time, we are ready to increase our troop levels in Afghanistan, as mandated by our Cabinet.” He further noted that Slovakia had reiterated its commitment to increasing its defence expenditure up to 1.6% and 2% of GDP on defence by 2020 and 2024, respectively.
NATO Member States agreed on the need to deepen NATO-EU cooperation, designating Military Mobility as one of the key and exemplary areas of their cooperation. On the start of NATO accession talks with the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Slovakia expressed its support for the decision and appreciated the progress made under NATO’s open door policy in the Euro-Atlantic integration efforts of Ukraine, Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Summit programme will continue with the working dinner of NATO Defence Ministers and CHODs. They will build on the Summit’s defence and military issues by looking into the nationsʼ ability to respond in support of Allies in all strategic directions.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš stated: “After joining NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, we are ready to get involved in a new NATO training – non-combat – mission in Iraq. At the same time, we are ready to increase our troop levels in Afghanistan, as mandated by our Cabinet.” He further noted that Slovakia had reiterated its commitment to increasing its defence expenditure up to 1.6% and 2% of GDP on defence by 2020 and 2024, respectively.
NATO Member States agreed on the need to deepen NATO-EU cooperation, designating Military Mobility as one of the key and exemplary areas of their cooperation. On the start of NATO accession talks with the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Slovakia expressed its support for the decision and appreciated the progress made under NATO’s open door policy in the Euro-Atlantic integration efforts of Ukraine, Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Summit programme will continue with the working dinner of NATO Defence Ministers and CHODs. They will build on the Summit’s defence and military issues by looking into the nationsʼ ability to respond in support of Allies in all strategic directions.
