Secretary General participates in Hybrid Centre of Excellence inauguration with Finnish leaders and EU High Representative

  • 02 Oct. 2017 -
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  • Last updated: 02 Oct. 2017 16:51

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, together with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Ms Federica Mogherini, are in Helsinki, Finland today (2 October) to attend the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. They are attending as guests of Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Juha Sipilä.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the official inauguration event of the European Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Countering Hybrid Threats

The centre will make an important contribution to our security” the Secretary General said. It will help nations and international organisations like NATO and the EU to better understand modern, complex threats and to strengthen our societies against them. 

The Centre is an initiative of the Finnish government, supported by 11 other nations, as well as NATO and the EU.

Meeting with President Niinisto and Prime Minister Sipilä, the Secretary General praised Finland for its contributions to international security, especially airspace security in the Baltic area, and expressed gratitude for the close partnership between Finland and NATO.

Secretary General Stoltenberg also spoke of the importance of closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union.  “Our relationship has never been closer”, he pointed out. NATO and the EU are working together on the response to hybrid challenges, cyber defence, security in the Mediterranean Sea and in other areas. Both organisations are working to expand this cooperation into new areas later this year.