NordenBladet — On Thursday 17 February 2022, Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen will participate in the second day’s working session of NATO’s defence minister meeting. The focus will be on EU-NATO cooperation and the current security situation in and around Ukraine.
In addition to the NATO countries, the Finnish and Swedish defence ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell have been invited to the meeting. The meeting will be held at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
After Brussels, Minister Kaikkonen will continue to Munich where he will attend the high-level international Munich Security Conference (MSC) on 18 to 19 February. The MSC will address transatlantic cooperation, growing tensions in Eastern Europe and the situation in other conflict areas, among other topics. On the last day of the Security Conference, the ministers will discuss the role of the European Union in responding to these challenges.
Minister Kaikkonen will hold bilateral meetings in Munich with defence ministers from a number of countries, and he will also attend a working lunch, hosted by German Minister of Defence Christine Lambrecht.
“Discussing topical security policy issues is important for Finland. In the tense security situation, it is good that the Munich Security Conference can be organised within the limits of the pandemic. The conference will provide an opportunity for dialogue between different countries,” says Minister of Defence Kaikkonen.
On 21 to 22 February 2022, Minister Kaikkonen will attend the Joint Expeditionary force (JEF) ministerial meeting in Grantham, Great Britain. The ministers will discuss the current security situation in Europe and the development of the JEF cooperation.
Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi