Joint press conference
by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini
(As delivered)
Good afternoon.
We have just finished a meeting where we addressed the cooperation between NATO and the EU. And the meeting was attended by High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini and with the Minister from Sweden and the Ambassador of Finland, so in addition to the 28 members of the Alliance and Montenegro, we also had representatives of the European Union present at the meeting.
And it’s always a good pleasure to welcome you to NATO, Federica, especially when we are able to agree on such a substantial list of measures to take our cooperation forward. And we have been working together on how to strengthen and how to enhance the cooperation between NATO and EU for a long time, so therefore I think today we really mark a milestone in our efforts to build our cooperation and to strengthen the partnership between NATO and the EU.
The security of Europe and North America is interconnected. A stronger NATO is good for the EU and a stronger EU is good for NATO. And strengthening our strategic partnership is more important than ever.
First, we all face new threats and new security challenges, which combine military and non-military means of aggression. Such as hybrid, cyber, terrorism. And neither NATO nor the EU has the full range of tools to respond to these challenges, so therefore we have to cooperate.
Second, the EU is taking steps in strengthening European defence, which we welcome.
It is important that these steps are complementary with NATO efforts.
And third, the strength of the transatlantic bond is vital to our security. Strong ties between NATO and the EU bring North America and Europe closer together. In Warsaw in July, I signed a Joint Declaration with Presidents Tusk and Juncker. We said at the time that we had never done so much together. Now we are going to do even more together. We have identified over forty proposals in several key areas. They are pragmatic, but they are ambitious.
- On hybrid, we agreed on concrete measures to increase situational awareness. And to bolster our nations’ resilience.
- On maritime, we enhanced cooperation between Operations Sea Guardian and Sophia in the Mediterranean. Through logistical support and information sharing.
- On cyber, we will strengthen our mutual participation in exercises, and foster research.
- NATO and the EU will also work more closely together to build the capacities of our partners.
- And we have committed to pursue greater coherence in the development of our defence capabilities.
So these are only some examples of how we now are strengthening the cooperation between NATO and the EU in a very concrete and pragmatic way.
And I strongly encourage the fullest involvement of non-EU Allies in European defence, because they contribute substantially to European security.
So let me therefore thank Federica for her outstanding personal commitment to our cooperation. This has been a priority for both of us since we took office in the autumn of 2014.
But before I pass the floor to Federica, let me say a few words about the importance of strong institutions in times of instability as we see today. Both NATO and the EU were established as a result of two World Wars. Together, they helped bring peace and security to our continent, based on our shared values. Both NATO and the EU have seen many changes and many challenges. But throughout the decades, they have proven robust and adaptable. This is also what we are doing now: adapting to a new security environment. And therefore I am confident that we will continue to do so in the years ahead, that NATO and the EU are able to adapt to a changing and a more challenging security environment.
So once again, Federica, it’s great to have you here, it’s great to attend this meeting together with you and great to see that we are able to deliver concrete measures and proposals on how to strengthen our cooperation.
MODERATOR: Okay we will start with ARD at the end.
ARD REPORTER: This is to begin with more an abstract question but anyway, if you, (inaudible) ARD German Radio I am over here. If you listen to ministers today entering the building you could get the feeling that NATO as well as Europe is going through an upheaval or let’s say a watershed moment that both have never experienced before, not only but also because there is a new President entering the White House soon. Two questions to both of you. Do you share that feeling, is it a very special moment and also is there any reason for Europe to be afraid?
FEDERICA MOGHERINI (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs): I start. There are many reasons not only for Europeans but also others in the world to, I would say not to underestimate the threats that are currently challenging our security in the world. It’s, ah, I think we have never experienced such an overlapping of crisis around the world and for sure what we call a rules based global order enframed (sic) especially in the U.N. system is put to a stress test. So I tend to see this as a common challenge for our globe, in which the Europeans have a special role to play, because of the strengths that we have. I know I might be unlikely, but the last European, referring to the strengths of Europe but if you look Europe from the outside as I constantly do, I was just coming back this morning from Africa, where ever you in the world people look at Europe as a place of security, human rights, integration, economic prosperity still even if we are coming out of a major crisis still in comparison with other parts of the world we are doing pretty well. Sometimes inside the European Union we don’t realize our strengths are our partners around the world do. So I do not see a specific threat for Europe or for the European Union as such, if not coming, if not the threat coming from the underestimation of our strengths. I believe that here again, you’re right we are getting a bit in the philosophical order but I am convinced that Europe has all the instruments, all the resources, all the wisdom coming from its long history to overcome threats and difficulties and it’s facing and I’m not negative about that because the European Integration Process in particular has always grown stronger out of challenges and difficult times. Jens was remembering the fact that both NATO and the European Union were coming out of, were born out of terrible period of conflicts around the world where Europe was the centre of it. So we’ve always managed to learn from crisis, how to grow stronger and to deliver better advice to our citizens and I am sure it will not be an exception this time and again the basic rule, the basic European rule, the European way is doing this in partnership with France and this is why the Trans-Atlantic Cooperation is so key, our work with NATO and security is so key, our work with our neighbours both to the East and to the South is so important and also I would like to add our work to support the U.N. system is also crucial. So I believe that we will face the threats the world is facing today, staying united and using all the possible tools we have and our work on security and defense inside the European Union is exactly aimed at that.
JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): It is right that we live in a time with a lot of uncertainties and many uncertainties and ah, we have therefore a more unpredictable security environment but that’s exactly why we need strong international institutions like NATO and the European Union and that’s also why this meeting today and the agreement among the ministers today is so important, because it strengthens not only NATO and the European Union but it strengthens also the cooperation between NATO and the European and by doing so, by strengthening the cooperation between the two main organizations in Europe, NATO and the European Union, we are also strengthening the Trans-Atlantic bond and the vital link between North America and Europe. So the meeting today and agreement on the, on the 42 proposals, is an important step in building that kind of institutions we need, especially when times are uncertain, when we are faced with new threats and challenges as we are today. So the more uncertainty out there, the more we need stability and strength which strong international institutions can provide; and I am absolutely certain that the United States will remain committed to the Trans-Atlantic bond, will remain committed to NATO and will live up to, and be committed to, the security guarantees to Europe. This is clearly stated by President-Elect Donald Trump in many phone calls with the European leaders and with me and, we also have to remember that just a few days ago the Congress, the U.S. Congress, authorized a budget with bi-partisan support, a budget which quadrupled the funding for U.S. presence in America, I mean the U.S. presence in Europe. So there is a strong bipartisan support in the United States for increased U.S. military presence in Europe.
MODERATOR: Okay we will start with ARD at the end.
ARD REPORTER: This is to begin with more an abstract question but anyway, if you, (inaudible) ARD German Radio I am over here. If you listen to ministers today entering the building you could get the feeling that NATO as well as Europe is going through an upheaval or let’s say a watershed moment that both have never experienced before, not only but also because there is a new President entering the White House soon. Two questions to both of you. Do you share that feeling, is it a very special moment and also is there any reason for Europe to be afraid?
FEDERICA MOGHERINI (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs): I start. There are many reasons not only for Europeans but also others in the world to, I would say not to underestimate the threats that are currently challenging our security in the world. It’s, ah, I think we have never experienced such an overlapping of crisis around the world and for sure what we call a rules based global order enframed (sic) especially in the U.N. system is put to a stress test. So I tend to see this as a common challenge for our globe, in which the Europeans have a special role to play, because of the strengths that we have. I know I might be unlikely, but the last European, referring to the strengths of Europe but if you look Europe from the outside as I constantly do, I was just coming back this morning from Africa, where ever you in the world people look at Europe as a place of security, human rights, integration, economic prosperity still even if we are coming out of a major crisis still in comparison with other parts of the world we are doing pretty well. Sometimes inside the European Union we don’t realize our strengths are our partners around the world do. So I do not see a specific threat for Europe or for the European Union as such, if not coming, if not the threat coming from the underestimation of our strengths. I believe that here again, you’re right we are getting a bit in the philosophical order but I am convinced that Europe has all the instruments, all the resources, all the wisdom coming from its long history to overcome threats and difficulties and it’s facing and I’m not negative about that because the European Integration Process in particular has always grown stronger out of challenges and difficult times. Jens was remembering the fact that both NATO and the European Union were coming out of, were born out of terrible period of conflicts around the world where Europe was the centre of it. So we’ve always managed to learn from crisis, how to grow stronger and to deliver better advice to our citizens and I am sure it will not be an exception this time and again the basic rule, the basic European rule, the European way is doing this in partnership with France and this is why the Trans-Atlantic Cooperation is so key, our work with NATO and security is so key, our work with our neighbours both to the East and to the South is so important and also I would like to add our work to support the U.N. system is also crucial. So I believe that we will face the threats the world is facing today, staying united and using all the possible tools we have and our work on security and defense inside the European Union is exactly aimed at that.
JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): It is right that we live in a time with a lot of uncertainties and many uncertainties and ah, we have therefore a more unpredictable security environment but that’s exactly why we need strong international institutions like NATO and the European Union and that’s also why this meeting today and the agreement among the ministers today is so important, because it strengthens not only NATO and the European Union but it strengthens also the cooperation between NATO and the European and by doing so, by strengthening the cooperation between the two main organizations in Europe, NATO and the European Union, we are also strengthening the Trans-Atlantic bond and the vital link between North America and Europe. So the meeting today and agreement on the, on the 42 proposals, is an important step in building that kind of institutions we need, especially when times are uncertain, when we are faced with new threats and challenges as we are today. So the more uncertainty out there, the more we need stability and strength which strong international institutions can provide; and I am absolutely certain that the United States will remain committed to the Trans-Atlantic bond, will remain committed to NATO and will live up to, and be committed to, the security guarantees to Europe. This is clearly stated by President-Elect Donald Trump in many phone calls with the European leaders and with me and, we also have to remember that just a few days ago the Congress, the U.S. Congress, authorized a budget with bi-partisan support, a budget which quadrupled the funding for U.S. presence in America, I mean the U.S. presence in Europe. So there is a strong bipartisan support in the United States for increased U.S. military presence in Europe.
MODERATOR: The lady in the front row.
UNKNOWN SPEAKER FROM URKAINE: (Inaudible) from Ukraine. How enhancing cooperation between NATO and the EU in the military sphere could help Ukraine?
JENS STOLTENBERG: I think that the important thing is that both the European Union and NATO provides support to Ukraine. We provide political support, we provide practical support and Federica can say more about what kind of practical support the E.U. Provides, but I know that as NATO we have different trust funds where we help Ukraine with implementing reforms, with modernizing its defense and security institutions and we also provide of course, strong political support and we have a close partnership with Ukraine. The idea with the statement that we have agreed today is that we will also, we will work closer together in providing support, in building capacity, in providing training and in supporting countries like Ukraine. So E.U. and NATO, we do a lot already but I think we can be even more efficient and provide even stronger support by coordinating our efforts in, for instance, Ukraine.
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: The European Union is, as you know, ah, working very hard to support the country, Ukraine and its reforms especially focusing on the economic reforms, the social reforms, anti corruption, the judicial system. In the security sector we are also supporting, with our presence there, the security sector, reform looking more at the civilian side of it and this is a work to which the European Union is and stays, very much committed, and I would stay that the added value here is the strong determination that we share across the Atlantic in keeping the Ukrainian priority, a priority in our agenda not only in Europe but also across the Atlantic. Obviously we are also working together in a field that is purely political so a little bit less for the NATO practical work which is the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements. We just received President Poroshenkov the other week to discuss this. We will have the E.U. Ukraine Association Council in, eh, 10 days from now and I will meet Foreign Minister Klimkin the day after tomorrow in Hamburg and this to tell you the intensity and the regularity of exchanges we have, all of this to try and solve also the conflict in the East of the country. Obviously this is going to stay a top priority for us. The unity of purpose here across the Atlantic is important and I believe that it is really crucial this agreements we have, even beyond more practically we would do and there would be a lot of practical things that we would do out of these 42 proposals but there is a political sense also of our strong commitment today expressed jointly in Parliament in the same day, in the same city if I can in saying that our priorities, our values, our interests are shared and we will continue to work together on this.
MODERATOR: El Pais
EL PAIS REPORTER: I’m (inaudible) from El Pais. A question for both. Don’t you feel that current relations between Turkey and the E.U. can be an obstacle in the obstacle in the strategy to foster E.U.-NATO cooperation, thank you?
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: You know, it hasn’t been, it hasn’t been an obstacle on the contrary. I think that, ah, we’ve had a smooth process if you think of the months and not years, but months that took us and our teams to work on such details and a broad set of proposals there are 42 proposal from July to today. It’s kind an impressive record in terms of timing which means that there was a strong political support and a strong ownership as I said in all E.U. member states and in all what I have seen with NATO Allies to make this happen, otherwise you don’t manage to do such a work in such a short time. Let me also say that E.U. Turkey relations, ah, might be complicated from time to time but this is the reflect of the fact that they are deep and important for both of us. I have just this morning a long bilateral meeting with Minister Cavusoglu as I had meetings in the past weeks with the E.U. First Minister Chaddick (sp?), our contacts our constant and are not limited to one or two aspects of our policies. I know the media attention is mainly on the accession process, on the refugee issue but we discuss mainly and mostly, internal developments for sure both in Turkey and in the European Union but also the situation in Syria and in these days in particular the need to finalize the agreement in Cyprus. So we have a common agenda, we discuss, relations between the European Union and Turkey are complex, sometimes this, being complex turns into being complicated, are rich, deep and I would say fundamental for both Turkey and the European Union and this only reflects in the fact that, ah, the recent strong engagements that I have seen again from all member states and all NATO Allies in making this partnership within NATO and the European Union work. It’s a common interest that we share because we share the same region. You don’t change geography, the challenges we face are the same and we have an interest in working all together.
JENS STOLTENBERG: Turkey of course is part of the decision we made today. It was supported by all 28 Allies and I welcome the fact that we have full support within the Alliance for the strengthened cooperation between NATO and the European Union and I think that part of the success that we have achieved, or the success that we achieved, is based on that it has been very clearly stated that when we develop and strengthen the cooperation between the two organizations, E.U. and NATO, we do not change that foundation and the principals which this cooperation is based on. So we have a pragmatic approach where we address different pragmatic and concrete issues, without changing the principals respecting the differences and integrity of the two different organizations. That’s one reason why it’s possible to gather broad support and full support from both E.U. and NATO. The other reason why we have full support from all NATO Allies including of course Turkey is that it has been clearly stated that we need a fullest, a fullest possible involvement of non-E.U allies in the efforts of E.U. to strengthen European defense and this is based on the fact that I welcome very much a stronger E.U., a stronger Europe because that will strengthen NATO and the Trans-Atlantic bond provided that we do this in a transparent and inclusive way and we have to remember that in the West, Canada and the United States, in the North, Iceland and Norway and in the South, Albania and Southeast Albania and Turkey; they are NATO Members but they are not members of the European Union but they are in different ways key to the security of Europe. So as long as we understand that this strengthened cooperation is something which is based on an inclusive approach and also the fullest involvement of non-E.U. allies it’s possible to have this very strong support from the whole of NATO.
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: Obviously the same goes for E.U. Member States that are not NATO allies. The process that we have entered in is based as Jens was mentioning, and this is clearly stated in all our official documents on inclusiveness, transparency and respect for the decision autonomy of both organization and also of the specific character of security and defense policy of all members on both sides. So we know we are different, we respect our differences and this is a good basis for a pragmatic and good cooperation.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. That’s unfortunately all we have time for now. The Secretary General will be back later this afternoon, this evening rather. Thank you.
The lady in the front row.
UNKNOWN SPEAKER FROM URKAINE: (Inaudible) from Ukraine. How enhancing cooperation between NATO and the EU in the military sphere could help Ukraine?
JENS STOLTENBERG: I think that the important thing is that both the European Union and NATO provides support to Ukraine. We provide political support, we provide practical support and Federica can say more about what kind of practical support the E.U. Provides, but I know that as NATO we have different trust funds where we help Ukraine with implementing reforms, with modernizing its defense and security institutions and we also provide of course, strong political support and we have a close partnership with Ukraine. The idea with the statement that we have agreed today is that we will also, we will work closer together in providing support, in building capacity, in providing training and in supporting countries like Ukraine. So E.U. and NATO, we do a lot already but I think we can be even more efficient and provide even stronger support by coordinating our efforts in, for instance, Ukraine.
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: The European Union is, as you know, ah, working very hard to support the country, Ukraine and its reforms especially focusing on the economic reforms, the social reforms, anti corruption, the judicial system. In the security sector we are also supporting, with our presence there, the security sector, reform looking more at the civilian side of it and this is a work to which the European Union is and stays, very much committed, and I would stay that the added value here is the strong determination that we share across the Atlantic in keeping the Ukrainian priority, a priority in our agenda not only in Europe but also across the Atlantic. Obviously we are also working together in a field that is purely political so a little bit less for the NATO practical work which is the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements. We just received President Poroshenkov the other week to discuss this. We will have the E.U. Ukraine Association Council in, eh, 10 days from now and I will meet Foreign Minister Klimkin the day after tomorrow in Hamburg and this to tell you the intensity and the regularity of exchanges we have, all of this to try and solve also the conflict in the East of the country. Obviously this is going to stay a top priority for us. The unity of purpose here across the Atlantic is important and I believe that it is really crucial this agreements we have, even beyond more practically we would do and there would be a lot of practical things that we would do out of these 42 proposals but there is a political sense also of our strong commitment today expressed jointly in Parliament in the same day, in the same city if I can in saying that our priorities, our values, our interests are shared and we will continue to work together on this.
MODERATOR: El Pais
EL PAIS REPORTER: I’m (inaudible) from El Pais. A question for both. Don’t you feel that current relations between Turkey and the E.U. can be an obstacle in the obstacle in the strategy to foster E.U.-NATO cooperation, thank you?
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: You know, it hasn’t been, it hasn’t been an obstacle on the contrary. I think that, ah, we’ve had a smooth process if you think of the months and not years, but months that took us and our teams to work on such details and a broad set of proposals there are 42 proposal from July to today. It’s kind an impressive record in terms of timing which means that there was a strong political support and a strong ownership as I said in all E.U. member states and in all what I have seen with NATO Allies to make this happen, otherwise you don’t manage to do such a work in such a short time. Let me also say that E.U. Turkey relations, ah, might be complicated from time to time but this is the reflect of the fact that they are deep and important for both of us. I have just this morning a long bilateral meeting with Minister Cavusoglu as I had meetings in the past weeks with the E.U. First Minister Chaddick (sp?), our contacts our constant and are not limited to one or two aspects of our policies. I know the media attention is mainly on the accession process, on the refugee issue but we discuss mainly and mostly, internal developments for sure both in Turkey and in the European Union but also the situation in Syria and in these days in particular the need to finalize the agreement in Cyprus. So we have a common agenda, we discuss, relations between the European Union and Turkey are complex, sometimes this, being complex turns into being complicated, are rich, deep and I would say fundamental for both Turkey and the European Union and this only reflects in the fact that, ah, the recent strong engagements that I have seen again from all member states and all NATO Allies in making this partnership within NATO and the European Union work. It’s a common interest that we share because we share the same region. You don’t change geography, the challenges we face are the same and we have an interest in working all together.
JENS STOLTENBERG: Turkey of course is part of the decision we made today. It was supported by all 28 Allies and I welcome the fact that we have full support within the Alliance for the strengthened cooperation between NATO and the European Union and I think that part of the success that we have achieved, or the success that we achieved, is based on that it has been very clearly stated that when we develop and strengthen the cooperation between the two organizations, E.U. and NATO, we do not change that foundation and the principals which this cooperation is based on. So we have a pragmatic approach where we address different pragmatic and concrete issues, without changing the principals respecting the differences and integrity of the two different organizations. That’s one reason why it’s possible to gather broad support and full support from both E.U. and NATO. The other reason why we have full support from all NATO Allies including of course Turkey is that it has been clearly stated that we need a fullest, a fullest possible involvement of non-E.U allies in the efforts of E.U. to strengthen European defense and this is based on the fact that I welcome very much a stronger E.U., a stronger Europe because that will strengthen NATO and the Trans-Atlantic bond provided that we do this in a transparent and inclusive way and we have to remember that in the West, Canada and the United States, in the North, Iceland and Norway and in the South, Albania and Southeast Albania and Turkey; they are NATO Members but they are not members of the European Union but they are in different ways key to the security of Europe. So as long as we understand that this strengthened cooperation is something which is based on an inclusive approach and also the fullest involvement of non-E.U. allies it’s possible to have this very strong support from the whole of NATO.
FEDERICA MOGHERINI: Obviously the same goes for E.U. Member States that are not NATO allies. The process that we have entered in is based as Jens was mentioning, and this is clearly stated in all our official documents on inclusiveness, transparency and respect for the decision autonomy of both organization and also of the specific character of security and defense policy of all members on both sides. So we know we are different, we respect our differences and this is a good basis for a pragmatic and good cooperation.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. That’s unfortunately all we have time for now. The Secretary General will be back later this afternoon, this evening rather. Thank you.