Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Rastislav Kacer welcomes the joint declaration on cooperation between NATO and the European Union that was signed in Brussels on Tuesday by European Council President Charles Michal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The long-awaited signing of the joint declaration confirms a key agreement between NATO and the EU on sharing not only the same values, but also the security environment. In response to the events in Ukraine last year, both organizations have demonstrated to us that they are standing on the right side of history," stated Kacer, who pointed out that NATO and EU membership are vital for Slovakia. "By their actions, they confirm in practice their irreplaceable role for us. Therefore, Slovakia supports maximum cooperation between the Alliance and the Union," he said.
This is the third joint declaration to be signed after the previous two signed in 2016 and 2018. "The context of the joint declaration is dominated by the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. This war is undermining European security and stability and breaking international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The leaders of both organizations unambiguously condemn the Russian aggression and at the same time express their full solidarity with Ukraine. This war in our neighbourhood underlines the importance of trans-atlantic ties and the need for still closer cooperation between the EU and NATO," stated Kacer. (TASR)
