Minister Lipavský Took Part in the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers
Minister Lipavský Took Part in the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers
04.04.2024 / 19:47 | Aktualizováno: 12.04.2024 / 15:58
On April 3 and 4, Minister Jan Lipavský took part in the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels. Allies addressed topics related to the July NATO Summit in Washington, including support for Ukraine, NATO's coordinating role, Russia's aggressive policy, and alliance partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and NATO's southern neighborhood. The two-day meeting also marked the 75th NATO anniversary.
Minister Lipavský supported a greater NATO role in coordinating security assistance for Ukraine and called for reforms necessary for Ukraine's future NATO membership. The minister also stressed the importance of the Alliance adopting a strategic approach towards Russia. Allies appreciated the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine.
"Ukraine must be able to defend itself against Russian aggression, and it is our duty to help Ukraine with all our might. Czechia is well aware that Ukraine is not running out of courage, but ammunition – the munitions initiative that we are initiating is proof of that," Minister Lipavský said.
On the second day, the 75th anniversary of NATO was commemorated, along with the enlargement of the Alliance to include members who joined 25, 20, and 15 years ago. On this occasion, Minister Lipavský highlighted the legacy of Václav Havel and the significance of Czechia's NATO membership, which is vital in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"Our accession to NATO was an important milestone. We know where we are coming from. The struggles of our ancestors must not and will not come to nothing," Minister Lipavský declared during his speech.
The NATO-Ukraine Council meeting took place, with the participation of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and primarily focused on long-term support for Kyiv. All Allies agreed on the need to support Ukraine in this critical moment. NATO Foreign Ministers also met with Indo-Pacific partners - Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, together with the European Union. Minister Lipavský welcomed the strengthening cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries and the growing attention NATO devotes to this region. He also supported ongoing alliance efforts towards the southern neighborhood and invited ministers for informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Prague at the end of May.
"It is important that allies understand the interconnectedness of security between the North Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. This cooperation needs to be further deepened. The U.S. needs us in the Indo-Pacific as much as we need them in Europe," Minister Lipavský emphasized.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Lipavský met counterparts from Norway, Sweden, Portugal, and the Republic of Korea.
