NATO and the EU are seeking to improve cooperation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted Europe’s security order, a joint declaration seen by AFP said on Monday.
The two Brussels-based organizations have been looking to improve coordination for years, despite fears in some quarters that efforts to bolster the EU’s role in defense could undermine the US-led alliance.
The invasion of Ukraine has spurred calls for greater use of the combined clout of European economic muscle and US military might to better protect the one billion citizens living in member states.
“This is a key point for Euro-Atlantic security and stability, more than ever it shows the importance of the transatlantic bond, calling for closer EU-NATO cooperation,” said the statement, which will be released by NATO and European Union officials. Tuesday.
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“As the security threats and challenges we face grow in scope and magnitude, we will take our partnership to the next level.”
The statement pointed to addressing “growing geostrategic competition”, protecting critical infrastructure, and dealing with threats from emerging technologies and in space as important areas for deeper cooperation.
27 NATO member countries
Twenty-one of the EU’s 27 member states are already in NATO, and Sweden and Finland are now pushing to join.
The statement said the bodies “play complementary, coherent and mutually reinforcing roles in support of international peace” and pledged to “further expand” their political, economic and military powers.
It will be signed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Council president Charles Michel and European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
A French-led effort to boost the EU’s role in defense has sparked unease among Eastern European countries that see Washington as a security bulwark.
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Since the invasion of Moscow in February, Washington has increased the number of troops in Europe to more than 100,000 personnel as NATO undertakes its biggest defense overhaul since the end of the Cold War.
The joint statement – the first since 2018 – explained that the alliance “remains the foundation of collective defence” for its members and the wider Euro-Atlantic region.
But he also said, “we recognize the value of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes positively to global and transatlantic security and complements, and is interoperable with, NATO.”
China ‘threat’
The U.S. has long pushed its European allies to spend more on the military, fight cyber threats and improve infrastructure across the continent needed to move troops quickly.
Washington has also pressured Europe to take a tougher stance on the threat posed by China’s power.
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“China’s growing assertiveness and policies pose many challenges that must be addressed,” the joint declaration said.
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