Trio-Presidency Ministers discuss European Defence

The Ministers of Defence of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, João Gomes Cravinho and Matej Tonin, discussed the current state of European defence efforts today via video link.

Their discussion included the following agenda items: PESCOPermanent Structured Cooperation, the European Peace Facility, the Strategic Compass, and the European Defence Fund.

Together they underlined:

"As a trio of consecutive EU Council Presidencies we stress the importance of making tangible progress in the field of European defence. Together we aim at fulfilling our ambitions at a high pace.”

“Our common goals are to increase our ability to act and to strengthen our resilience.”

“We emphasise the need for a strong European pillar within NATO. Increased EU-NATO cooperation complements and fosters the strategic priorities of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration.”

Most recently, “the Trio” met in person at the informal EU Defence Ministers’ meeting on 26 August 2020 in Berlin. The next EU Defence Ministers’ meeting is scheduled for 20 November 2020 in Brussels. Portugal will assume the EU Council Presidency on 1 January 2021. Slovenia will follow on 1 July 2021.