EU Defence Ministers discuss current situation in Ukraine

The current situation in Ukraine and ways to offer medium and long-term support to the country were discussed at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council attended by Defence Ministers, among whom Cyprus' Defence Minister, Vasilis Palmas.

The meeting took place in Brussels on 19 November.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence, Palmas also participated in the deliberations of the European Defence Agency's Board of Directors and had a meeting with the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Robert Kalinak.

During the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, the Ministers of Defence were briefed on the current situation in Ukraine and discussed the future commitments of the European Union and the EU member states for the security of the country. They examined ways of providing medium and long-term support, as well as ways of covering its needs more rapidly.

It is added that progress made in Ukraine's financing areas, through the use of gains from frozen assets and the G7 loan, was also discussed, and ways to speed up the procedures for providing the necessary financial assistance to the country were considered. In the meantime, EU Defence Ministers were briefed on the European Defence Industrial Strategy and the work on the review of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).

As stated, Palmas also participated in the deliberations of the Board of Directors of the European Defence Agency, during which the Agency's budget for the year 2025 was approved, as well as the three-year Planning Framework (2025 - 2027).

It is pointed out that the Board of Directors adopted the CARD 2024 Report (Coordinated Annual Review on Defence), which identified opportunities for cooperation for the development of military capabilities and also noted the fact that there was a 31% increase in defence spending, compared to 2021, which represents 1.9% of the European Union's GDP. For the first time, the adoption of the CARD Report was accompanied by the signing of a declaration of intent in 4 areas of cooperation (Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Electronic Warfare, Loitering Munitions and Combat Surface Vessel).

The Cypriot Minister of Defence signed the respective declarations of intent in all four areas, aiming both to the active participation of the Ministry in the development processes of the programmes and to the need of supporting the work carried out by the European Defence Agency to the benefit of member states.

As he stated in his intervention, these actions and the overall work carried out by the European Defence Agency are particularly beneficial for the Republic of Cyprus, which is very close to areas of conflict and tension. Palmas stressed the need for close cooperation with the European Defence Industry, and in particular the need to provide incentives for the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the development of defence capabilities.

It is added that, on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council of Defence Ministers, Palmas met with the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Robert Kalinak, and discussed with him the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, the situation in Ukraine, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as possible ways to upgrade relations between Cyprus and Slovakia in the fields of defence and security.

(Source: CNA)