Today, Anders Samuelsen will be making his first trip as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Anders Samuelsen heads to Brussels to attend NATO’s meeting for Ministers of Foreign Affairs today and tomorrow, and to meet bilaterally with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
On the agenda are topics including Russia, NATO/EU cooperation and the defence alliance’s contribution to stabilising Europe’s troubled neighbouring regions.
“Denmark is and will continue to be a core country in NATO. It is the cornerstone of our security. However, we will be taking on even more responsibility and contributing more to the alliance in the future. This is part of the government platform,” said Anders Samuelsen shortly before leaving for the meeting and continues:
“Naturally it is also about our and the other countries’ will to dispatch the right forces. With the right capacity, and at the right time. And our purchase of new fighter jets, the contribution to the strengthened contingent in the Baltic States and the efforts in Afghanistan show that NATO can count on Denmark.”
The meeting takes place at a time when the political landscape is marked by insecurity and instability, not least because of Russia’s aggressive stance in Syria, Ukraine and the Baltic region.
”Denmark’s stance is clear; we stand shoulder to shoulder with the Baltic States and our eastern neighbours. That is why we are offering NATO a significant military contribution of up to 200 soldiers for Estonia,” says Anders Samuelsen, who favours an honest dialogue with Russia regarding security and stability, while emphasising that this requires that both parties play by the rules.
At the meeting, NATO Foreign Ministers will also discuss the practical collaboration on the joint NATO/EU declaration, which was adopted at the alliance’s recent summit in Warsaw.
”Now we need to get to work. There is enough to collaborate on – including uniting to prevent and combat terrorism and migration in the Mediterranean. NATO and the EU must help in stemming the flow of terrorism and illegal immigration by strengthening defensive abilities among both NATO’s and EU’s eastern and southern partners,” maintains Denmark’s new Minister for Foreign Affairs.
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