DefMin Ciuca approaches topic of combating hybrid threats at EU DefMins informal meeting

The importance of resilience as a priority domain for the consolidation of cooperation with NATO, with emphasis placed on combating hybrid threats, was one of the topics approached by Minister Nicolae Ciuca at the informal meeting of Defence Minister from member-states of the EU, which took place Thursday and Friday, in Lisbon, informs a release of the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) sent, on Friday, to AGERPRES.

Minister Ciuca emphasized the importance of resilience and combating hybrid threats, including disinformation, cybersecurity and defence, military mobility, as well as reducing the critical dependencies on suppliers outside the EU and NATO space.

During his intervention, Minister Ciuca expressed support for the acceleration of measures to implement EU initiatives in Defence and underscored the potential of using the Strategic Compass to additionally consolidate the capability based planning and development process at the level of the EU, without affecting the role of NATO in regards to collective defense.

Furthermore, the minister reiterated his conviction that the capability based planning and development process at the EU level must remain coherent with similar ones of NATO, given the overlap in demand, in accordance with the principle of the uniqueness of the set of forces available.

"The working session with African partners represented a good opportunity for an exchange of opinions regarding the EU's commitment to peace and security in Africa, a review of the security challenges and the ways to consolidate cooperation, using the instruments that the Union has at its disposal and taking into consideration lessons learnt," the MApN mentions.

Minister Ciuca emphasized the EU's role in supporting efforts on the security and defence corridor in Africa and the continuing commitment in this sense. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of cooperation and coordination with the United Nations, as well as with regional organization on the African continent.