Today and yesterday, at the informal meeting of EU Minsters of Defence in the Netherlands, the EU’s Ministers of Defence discussed the strengthening of defensive cooperation by the EU, the future of military operations, and new foreign and security strategies.
Minister of Defence Hanso, speaking on the state of the EU’s defensive cooperation and the future of the defence industry, stated that we must be realistic. “Only when the EU as well as NATO increase their defence expenditures, will we be able to efficiently develop Europe’s defence industry,” said Hanso. “This is also the last chance for the EU to transition from the preparation of policy papers to their practical implementation.“
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also participated in the meeting of Ministers of Defence. He emphasised that the recent statement by the United States concerning the increase in defence expenditures is a clear signal to the whole of Europe that we must also deal with the topic. “A strong NATO needs a strong Europe," said Stoltenberg. At the same time, he believes that it is a positive sign that, broadly speaking, 2015 saw the end of the reduction in European defence expenditures.
Minister of Defence Hanso said that the European Union, regardless of the success of the current training mission underway in Mali, must commit to long-term contributions in Africa, since recent terror attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso have shown the continuing instability of the region.
“Next to Lebanon, Mali has become Estonia’s second largest foreign military mission, where we increased our contribution last year within the framework of the UN's mission MINUSMA, as well as meeting the request for aid from France for EUTM Mali, the EU training mission in Mali,“ said Hanso. In the current security situation, it is important for Estonia to not only be a consumer of defensive cooperation and security, but also a provider," said the Minister of Defence.
At the joint lunch with EU Foreign Ministers, the Ministers of Defence also discussed what the focus of the new EU strategy on foreign and security policy, to be completed this summer, should be. According to Hanso, it is important for Estonia that Europe's common security and defence policy should form an important part of the strategy, and that it should reflect the greatest dangers faced by the EU, including Russia.