Minister of Defence Luik participated in an informal meeting of European Ministers of Defence, on Friday and Saturday, in Sofia, where the focus was on increased defence cooperation in Europe in the form of the implementation of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).
Also discussed at the meeting were the European Defence Fund’s operational plans and cooperation with NATO and the UN in the areas in which they are operating.
‘Over the past few years, European defence cooperation has made significant progress. Now is the time to begin showing tangible results,’ said Minister of Defence Luik. ‘The implementation of PESCO projects must begin to produce the necessary military capabilities for European consumption. It is also important to avoid the creation of excessive bureaucracy,’ added Luik.
In March, the Ministers of Defence of the European Union approved the first 17 cooperation projects, which included the mobility project, one of the implementers of which was Estonia.
According to Minister of Defence Luik, improvements in the military mobility project have been noteworthy and he emphasised that in order for the project to be a success clear compatibility with NATO’s plans is crucial. ‘The military mobility project is a good example of the European Union's capability to contribute in cooperation with NATO to the defence of Europe, noted Luik. Since there is a continuous need to move Allied units and military equipment to Estonia within the framework of training exercises and the presence of NATO, the promotion of military mobility is of particular importance to Estonia.
In the second half of the year, the ministers of defence will already be confirming the next wave in the PESCO project. By that time instructions must be developed for the inclusion of third countries in the projects, which will also involve Great Britain following Brexit.
At the meeting Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, presented an overview of the agency’s activities in terms of developing Europe’s defence capabilities and future plans.
Also participating in the informal meeting of European Ministers of Defence, in Sofia, were NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller and Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, who were there in order to discuss the possibilities for UN, NATO and European Union cooperation in common operating areas.
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