NATO Secretary General calls for a strong NATO-EU partnership at EU leaders’ informal retreat

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On Monday (3 February 2025), NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte participated in an informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels to discuss European defence.

During the meeting the Secretary General stressed the importance of the NATO-EU partnership, highlighting the transatlantic bond as the foundation of European security. Mr Rutte also outlined shared priorities for NATO and the EU and called for both organisations to go faster and further together in the face of mounting security challenges.

Supporting Ukraine remains crucial and Europe needs to step up military support, the Secretary General said. We must commit long-term to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction when the time comes, he added. Mr Rutte also welcomed EU efforts to boost European defence. The Secretary General noted how the EU can help NATO’s deterrence and defence remain credible by increasing investments, easing regulations, tackling industrial fragmentation and facilitating military mobility. To be successful in protecting Europe, the EU and NATO need to be coherent, complementary and interoperable, he said.